ShadowChasing Crossroads
by Lux-Nero
Summary: Crossroads… We all come across them during our lifetimes, and when we do, we all have to make decisions. People like to think they have infinite choices, but really, when it all boils down to it… ShadowChasers Story: Crossover


_**Author's Note:**__ Greetings y'all! Since Exams are finally over, I and another author decided to perform a one shot chapter where… Well, if you've read the description and who the Author list is, then you can probably guess what's going to happen._

_I would like to say that all characters belong to their respective owners as do the original cards that will most likely show up in this OVA Fanfictionf_

_So sit back, crack open your favorite drink, and enjoy the story._

_And if you enjoy this, please check out in the GX Section – The Other Half of the Story. Now, enjoy this story!_

_/-/-/-/-/-/-/_

_**Crossroads…**_

_**We all come across them during our lifetimes, and when we do, we all have to make decisions. People like to think they have infinite choices, but really, when it all boils down to it…**_

_**There's a bad way, when you give up on everything and let the world walk all over you. Then there's the hard way, when you fight back and only you can decide what will happen next. **_

_**Do we always make the right choices when these roads meet? **_

_**That's impossible. After all, Humans, Shadowkind and Shadow-touched, none of them are perfect. While most of us try to deny the bruises on our soul, the pain can't kill who we are, knowing that is a part of how people will get stronger.**_

_**It's a given that not everyone can see that at first, but at times when you need to stand up for what really matters to you, you'll realize that nobody's perfect – That we all have strengths or weaknesses and mistakes are made…**_

_**So, what will this crossroad to do?**_

_**Will it weaken all who cross it? Or will it strengthen us to the point where we evolve past our faults and cursed pasts?**_

_**Only one way to find out…**_

_**DRAW!**_

_**0-0-0-0-0-0**_

_**ShadowChasing Crossroads **_

_**0-0-0-0-0**_

_Time: 12:00 n_

Las Vegas, the very City of Sin – known for its neon lights, devilish charms, and dark pleasures to both its regular citizens and the ever growing tourists… And of course the endless choice of gambling away a person's hard earned cash. Normally known for its dry, hot temperatures, the city was recovering from a freak rain storm that had flooded both the Top and the Under the previous night…

But that didn't stop the residents from enjoying the fine entertainment that was built on those very streets (sure, they were a few people who reported slipping, and some bars got washed out but nothing too major). So that led people to the indoor casinos and entertainment facilities, which kept them out from the blistering sunlight.

Of course, people still walked the streets, and one in particular was a man with scruffy, dark brown hair dressed in a dark blue jacket and street clothes. With a cigarette in his mouth, and a duffle bag around his waist, this rugged man continued to walk the streets, making sure that he didn't walk into anyone.

This man, his eyes were glossed over, memories of only twelve hours ago coursing through his mind – Reminding him of his failure numerous times.

This man was Hyde Vayne – Former NYC detective, man of logic, and a hardboiled Shadowchaser.

For a few hours he had been walking the street, and it was a wonder how he wasn't roasting in the blazing sun. And he wasn't even aware of it at the moment, but he was standing outside the popular casino – Circus Circus, one of the more 'entertaining' hotels/casinos that was on the Las Vegas strip, being a verifiable year long carnival with circus shows, arcades, three swimming pools and several ballrooms.

Taking a moment to walk away from the crowds and lean up against the outside wall of the casino, Hyde took a long drag on his cigarette, '_… Since that informant was taken away last night, it's a given that we're on the right track… But still, that Blood Ogre – Jin was able to get away…_

'_And what the hell was going on with that water? Why did it suddenly freeze up?'_

Taking a long drag on his cigarette, Hyde slowly began to get lost in his thoughts, all of them starting to wrap around his head.

However, while the crowds of people passed by him, paying not even a second of attention towards him, standing near the edge of another nearby casino was a being who's attention was focused directly on the rugged Shadowchaser…

"Damn it… From the City of Angels," the being snickered with a hand to his mouth. "To the City of Sin, Shadowchasers all about! There are two kinds of people in the world, those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and there are those who are born to lose to the devil everyday… Hehehehe…"

The very being that was watching Hyde stood up, allowing his black coat to billow over his body – Which was colored coal black with several purple runes running down his shirtless-body, with one of the runs looking like a large purple 'J'. His long black hair looked to be made out of stone and he had a black police cap that covered his eyes. "Then again… Shadowchasers are known to get around… And it makes me spin right round, baby, right round, like a record…"

He would've continued his bad joke, if he hadn't of ducked at the last second, allowing a sword to pierce the wall right next to him, "Hehehe, looks like you missed me…"

"Cut the jokes, Joker!"

Pushing his hat up slightly, the man addressed as Joker cackled at the sight of an all too familiar face, "Aw… What's the matter Damian? Can't take a good joke? Hehehehehe…"

The man who stabbed the sword into the wall drew it out quickly, his black coat, and long black hair billowing slightly as his sunglasses reflected a bit of the burning sunlight from above.

And it was obvious from the look on his face, and the very same mark that was on Hyde's face, that this was one annoyed Shadowchaser. "I'm going to wipe that smirk off your face."

However, before Damian was able to launch another attack, Joker managed to push himself away from the wall, spinning on the ground before he used his legs to send himself flying through the air and onto the street, surprising more than a handful of people on the street.

"That's a hard thing to do," Joker cackled adjusting his hat. "And but not as hard as my head! Hehehehehe!"

"Man, I'm getting tired of those lame attempts of jokes!" Damian growled as he charge after Joker who merely spun on his heel and ran off amongst the crowds.

"What can I say?" Joker laughed loudly pushing people out of his way as he rushed through the crowd. "There are two kinds of people in the world, those with a sense of humor, and those who can't crack a joke to save their lives!

"I like to think I'm the first!"

"You're the second!" Damian growled as he chased after Joker.

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

_12:07 p.m._

As the name would give away, Circus Circus was a place full of entertainment, with fancily and creatively dressed faculty that circulated amongst the crowds. So, as Joker slide through the lines of slot machines with Damian only a handful of feet behind, one would imagine that they were a part of the entertainment.

So, aside from tipping over a few of the members of the waitress staff, the two were able to continue their chase.

"Aw, what's the matter Damian?" Joker snickered as he spun on his heel, allowing him to run backwards, pushing an overweight tourist to the side. "I thought you Shadowchasers were supposed to be top class… After all, I'd figure that with a name like that, you'd be good at chasing shadows…

"But you haven't even been able to…"

While Joker was taunting him, he didn't realize that there was a fallen chair behind him, making the mysterious Shadowkind fall backwards, landing smack dab on his back. "Urk… Well, I had a nice trip…"

"You even say the rest of that joke," Damian sighed as he stood over Joker (his sword hidden away as to make sure that he wouldn't cause a panic). "And I'll make sure that you'll never say another bad joke again."

"Hehe, joke's on you, Damian," Joker cackled with a large grin on his face. "Tell me… Do you even know what Shadowkind I am?"

"I know you're some kind of Arcane Golem," Damian answered crossing his arms. "What's your point?"

"Ah, that's halfway right," Joker chuckled, putting his hands on the ground. "But I'm in a subclass of that kind of Shadowkind… Didn't you notice that I'm not as big or tough as other golems? Maybe I didn't get enough minerals while I grew up…"

"I'm getting tired of this Joker," Damian snarled reaching into his pocket. "You can either spill the information you know to me, or I can let the boys at HQ earn their paychecks by interrogating you… Your choice."

"Heh, there are two kinds of people in this world," Joker cackled as he slammed his hands into the ground…

… With enough force that allowed him to flip backwards, surprising Damian as the weird Arcane Golem leapt through the air – Which had attracted a few other eyes towards him.

Landing on top of a few slot machines, Joker slammed his fists together in front of the large 'J' on his chest, making the letter glow brightly. "Those who keep an Ace up their sleeve, and those that keep a joker up theirs! Prepare to see the power of a modern day Mirror Golem!"

A bright purple aura engulfed Joker's entire body, making his long coal hair and clothes suck into his body as his muscular body began to slightly compress itself.

"… Mirror Golem?" Damian questioned as the light died down…

… Revealing that in place of Joker, stood an almost exact replica of Hyde! Only there was a large grin plastered over his face, "Behold the power of a Mirror Golem! I maybe weaker than other golems, but I certainly know how to put on a strong face! Hehehehe!"

Before Damian and Joker could do something, the crowd around the two erupted into a loud applause, making the disguised Joker blink a few times before he bowed, "Thank you! Thank you! You're too kind! I'll be here all week and don't forget to tip your waitresses!"

And like that, the disguised Joker leapt onto the other side of the slot machines, making Damian shake himself out of his stupor, "Hey! Get back here!"

Using an emptied seat, Damian leapt atop of the same slot machines and jumped off them in an attempt to find the disguised Joker. "Damn it! Where'd that C-List comedian get to?"

However, as Damian ran off in one direction, one of the gamblers slowly turned around, his entire body glowing purple until it died down to reveal that Joker had transformed the moment he had landed on the ground, "Hmm… Heheheheh… I can already tell this is going to be fun…"

**0-0-0-0-0**

_Time: 12:13 p.m._

Throwing his cigarette to the ground, Hyde immediately stomped on it, easily putting out the bad habit of his for the time being.

'_Standing here feeling sorry for myself isn't going to help,_' He thought as he slowly pushed himself from the wall, looking up into the sky, noticing that the clouds from yesterday were still around. '_Still… There must've been someone else there when Jin escaped, Blood Ogres have no talent in the world of magic, at least not magic like that…'_

"Someone! Help!"

Shaking his head, Hyde turned to the side to see none-other than Joker looming over a young woman, a purse spinning around in his hands, "Hehehehehe! Like taking candy from a baby…"

Joker looked inside the purse, "Ooh! You really do have candy in here!"

Hyde narrowed his eyes, maybe it was his thrive for justice or his new duty, but he immediately dashed forward to stop the Shadowkind…

… Which didn't go unnoticed by Joker, as the Mirror Golem immediately spun on his heel and ran towards the rear entrance of Circus Circus. "Hehe, run as fast as you can… You can't catch me, cause I'm the Joker man!"

Hyde almost stopped to think why this Shadowkind would make such a weird joke, but immediately shook it off and ran after Joker. '_Why do I always get the weird ones?'_

A few minutes later, Joker skidded to a stop right at the entrance and turn around, seeing that Hyde was only a few feet away, "Congratulations, Shadowchaser! You're quite the TD! Tenacious dood!"

"And you're an idiot," Hyde said with a dulled look on his face. "Either that or you're blind if you didn't even see a Shadowchaser when you pulled that stupid stunt."

"Maybe its just my bad luck," Joker snickered as he slammed his fists together, making the 'J' glow brightly. "In any case, as a reward for being so die hard, I'm going to show you something sweet!"

Hyde was about to retort, when all of Joker's body began to glow purple, his messy hair and coat growing longer as his physique slimmed down. And just like before, the aura vanished, in Joker's place was an exact double of Damian – Save for the fact that he had his tongue sticking out and was in a very ridiculous pose, "Ta-da!"

"What the?" Hyde questioned raising an eyebrow.

"I must say," Joker snickered as he spun around. "I think I pull off the goth look rather well… Wouldn't you say? Or is it emo? I can never tell the difference between those two…"

"I think you pull off the dumbass look quite well," Hyde replied shaking his head.

"Ooh… That's a good one!" the Disguised Joker cooed as he rubbed his chin. "I'm going to have to remember that one…"

"Disguises are good," Hyde answered pointing his hand towards Joker. "But they're useless since you just transformed in front of me…"

"… Good point," Joker admitted. "Allow me to retort in the following matter…"

The disguised Joker spun around and bent over, "Kiss my grits!"

And like that, Joker ran into the casino, with a slightly annoyed Hyde standing idle for a second before, "… That's it. I'm kicking his ass."

**0-0-0-0**

_Time: 12:24 p.m._

After a tedious, annoying and downright insulting chase, the disguised Joker had gained some distance while keeping in Hyde's sights. But eventually Joker had finally reached his destination of the casino…

… The main entertainment hall, which was currently cleaned out and would remain until it's next show hours later.

"… Now if my hunch is right," the still disguised Joker muttered turning to the side, pulling down the shades over his eyes slightly, smirking as he saw what he was looking, "Ah… Now for the perfect bait…"

Opening the door, Joker took a deep breath before he roared out, "HEHEHEHE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! LOOOOSER SHADOWCHASER!"

Watching the disguised Joker dash into the entertainment hall, Hyde quickly gave chase, unaware that someone was watching Hyde enter.

"So… He's still in that weird disguise," Damian growled as he adjusted his sunglasses watching as Hyde opened the door as well. "Not going to get away this time Joker…"

Meanwhile in the entertainment hall, Hyde slowly walked through the stage, noticing that the entire hall was designed to resemble a large circus tent with countless stage props, seats and even having a trapeze overhead.

"A freak under the big top," Hyde mumbled walking deeper into the hall, his eyes darting around, looking for the transformed Joker. "This doesn't bode well…"

"What's wrong Joker? Out of bad jokes?"

Hyde quickly turned around and drew his sword at the last second…

CLANK!

Sparks flew as steel clashed against steel, both Hyde and Damian glaring at each other as both of them began to push each other away. Hyde gritted his teeth as he got a good look at the attacker, definitely the same all black themed clothing, hair and sunglasses as the mysterious shadow who had stolen that purse. '_I guess he can make weapons as well as clothes…'_

"You're tough for a joker," Damian growled applying more force.

Hyde barred his teeth, summoning all the strength in his muscles before he finally managed to push back Damian, "I'm not joking around!"

Noticing the slight look of surprise, Hyde immediately swept his left foot around and knocked it into the back of Damian's ankles, surprising the other Shadowchaser and sent him to the ground.

Before Damian could get up, the point of Hyde's sword was aimed directly at Damian's sunglasses, "… Got any wise-ass comments left?"

Damian didn't answer instead, he quickly slammed his foot into the broad side of the sword sending it to the side, and allowing him to take a slash at Hyde…

… Only to have the other Shadowchaser jump back, barely dodging the attack. However, this gave Damian ample time to get to his feet, spinning his sword back into a much more acceptable grip.

Hyde rested the blade on his shoulder gently, "… That all you got?"

"Not a chance," Damian growled as he charged forward, immediately sending a powerful stab directly towards.

Only to have the blade clank loudly when Hyde slashed downwards, making both blades fling backwards, but still in their owners' grips. This surprised Damian, but allowed Hyde to step to the side and slash his sword diagonally.

At the last second, Damian lifted his own blade up and blocked the attack at the last second.

As the clashes of steel echoed through the makeshift big top, a familiar form sat at the ledge of one of the trapeze poles, adjusting his hat over his weird eyes, "Hehehe… There are two kinds of people in the world, those who are tricked and those who do the tricking…

"I'd like to think that I'm the second!"

Joker kicked his legs back and forth as he watched the two Shadowchasers cross swords several times, each of them getting some pretty close shots, however, their levels of skill seemed to evenly matched or their swordsmanship levels were near enough.

And then it happened, both Shadowchasers' blades flew from their hands, spinning until they both landed into the ground several feet behind each Shadowchaser.

Both of them looked at each other, their eyes narrowed down at each other…

Then, Hyde snapped his left arm to the side, the duel disk humming to life and at the same time Damian threw his hand forward, allowing the holographic imagers to fly from his duel disk.

"Huh… Didn't think that duel disks still did that," Hyde muttered to himself as he jumped a few feet back, fitting his dueling deck into the deck slot. (HLP: 8000)

"I don't have a lot of time to waste here," Damian growled lightly fanning off the top five cards from his deck. "And there are two kinds of people in the world, those who waste time and those who…

"Gah! It's contagious!" (DLP: 8000)

Joker had to cover his mouth in order to stifle his laughter and not giveaway his hiding place.

"I don't know what your game is," Hyde said, not looking at the cards in his hand. "But it won't matter…"

"Whatever," Damian replied flicking off the sixth card into his hand. "I'm taking the first turn, and I'll set two cards face down…"

The set cards appeared in front of Damian, allowing the black clothed Shadowchaser cross his arms. "And that's all."

Hyde slowly drew and looked at the six cards, '_… And of course, I don't draw Mystical Space Typhoon… And the monsters aren't exactly the best of the best…'_

With a shake of his head, Hyde slapped a card onto his duel disk, allowing several black feathers to fall around his body, as a loud screech echoed through the air. Then, darting from the shadows above was the sleek crow like Yokai, its Japanese robes fluttering around its winged body (1400/1200). "My first card's Crow Tengu."

"A Yokai?" Damian questioned raising an eyebrow.

"You got a problem with my choice in cards?" Hyde asked narrowing his eyes.

"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't," Damian replied with s shrug. "Now, continue your turn."

"Careful what you wish for," Hyde said throwing his hand forward. "Crow Tengu! Attack…"

Hyde stopped, "Now that I think about it, I have no clue who the hell you are."

"I guess that disguise as some old man is making you senile, Joker," Damian sighed, not noticing the pulsating blood vessel that appeared on the side of Hyde's neck. "Drill it into your brain that I'm Damian…"

"Old man?" Hyde growled narrowing his eyes. "Tengu, attack him directly!"

With a loud screech, the crow Yokai propelled itself through the air, preparing to dive bomb into Damian.

"Sorry, but that's not happening!" Damian announced as he pushed a button on his duel disk. "I activate the trap card Dark Mist!"

With a swift motion, Damian pulled a card from his deck and spun them around just before he fitted it into his graveyard. However, the Crow Tengu just continued it's decent, however, just as the crow dove through Damian's body, which had turned into a dark mist. (DLP: 8000)

"Before you get into asking," Damian stated wagging his finger as the Crow Tengu flew back to Hyde's field. "Dark Mist is a continuous trap card, and by sending monsters whose level is equal to your monster's level from my deck, I was able to negate that attack.

"Of course, all the monsters need to be dark, but that's not going to be a problem. And Armageddon Knight is my choice."

Hyde shrugged it off and immediately held up two cards, "I'll set two cards face down. And that's my turn."

"Then it's my draw," Damian replied pulling another card into his hand. "And to start this turn, I'll activate my other trap card – Call of the Haunted!"

The ground in front of Damian opened up, allowing a dark, rust armored warrior to pull himself from the ground, his long black hair and dirty red scarf billowing through the air as he stood onto the ground (1400/1200). After dusting off some of the dirt from his armor, the knight drew his ragged blade. "So meet Armageddon Knight, now, when he's summoned, I can send a Dark monster from my deck to the graveyard."

Hyde narrowed his eyes as Damian fanned out his deck, '_It's pretty obvious that he's running a Dark deck… And what dark deck wouldn't be complete without that one card. I may not be an avid player, but I at least know what to look for…'_

"I select this one," Damian stated waving the card about slightly before he fitted it into his duel disk's graveyard slot.

'… _Wait… Wasn't that one of Ace's cards?'_ Hyde thought as Damian plucked a card from his hand of five.

"Next, I'll summon Dusk Commander in attack mode!" the dark clothed Shadowchaser announced as an orb of darkness appeared in front of him.

Like Hyde described himself, he wasn't avid about other cards in the game other than what he and his companions used, but he was still able to notice something familiar about the new monster that stepped from the orb of darkness. The monster was a young female knight with paled skin underneath red and black armor that had many bat wing designs on it, and from behind her helmet was a trail of long black hair…

… If Hyde didn't know any better, he could've sworn he was looking at an evil twin version of the Command Knight monster (1200/1900).

"Meet one of the newest additions to my deck," Damian introduced with a slight smirk appearing on his face. "And if you can't guess, this card looks and acts like the original Command Knight… Only with a darker touch…"

The Dusk Commander drew her own sword and lifted it up into the air, allowing a dark aura to flow over her (1200/1900 + 400/0) and the Armageddon Knight (1400/1200 + 400/0).

"If that's supposed to impress me," Hyde sighed reaching into his pocket to pull out his traditional Lucky Seven cigarettes. "You're going to have to do better than that… I've dueled against monsters that were three or even five times stronger than what you've got out."

"True, but that's not really important," Damian replied throwing his hand forward. "What is that both of my monsters are stronger than yours! Dusk Commander! Attack that tengu!"

Charging forward, the knight brought her sword down, and immediately cleaved the Crow Tengu in two, shattering the monster into millions of black feathers.

However, Hyde just took a cigarette from the pack and fitted it into his mouth. (HLP: 7800)

"And that makes you wide open!" Damian announced as the Armageddon Knight charged forward.

"You'd think that, wouldn't ya?" Hyde answered holding up his lighter before he pushed a button on his duel disk. "I activate my trap card, Haunted Shrine!"

A ghostly spirit floated around Hyde's body before it crashed into the ground, forming into the Crow Tengu who was crouched down in a defensive stance (1400/1200). "If I don't have any monsters, I can special summon a zombie from my graveyard…"

Lighting his cigarette, Hyde took a long drag on it, before he spoke again, "And when Crow Tengu was just special summoned from the graveyard, one of your monsters is destroyed… Three guesses which one is going to go."

The Armageddon Knight staggered to a stop, clutching his chest before he shattered like glass. "And then there was one."

"Or so you think," Damian stated reaching into his graveyard. "Since you just destroyed a dark monster with a card effect, I can use an effect of my own. By removing the very dark monster you destroyed, I can special summon a certain monster from my graveyard…"

A loud roar echoed through the entertainment all, signaling the arrival of an all too familiar beast in front of Hyde, his eyes widening slightly at it, "… Is that…"

"Ah, so you know about Green Baboon," Damian replied as the beast crash landed behind him, its long black fur matted against its large ape body, and with a few slams of its club into the ground, the black furred baboon roared loudly (2600/1800 + 400/0). "Well, this is Dark Baboon, Defender of the Forest. And guess what, it's still my battle phase…"

The dark version of the baboon leapt through the air and slammed the club into the Tengu's body, squashing it into the ground.

'… _Ugh, at least it was in defense mode,_' Hyde thought watching as the dark version of one of his fellow Shadowchasers leapt back to his opponent's field.

"You're next Joker," Damian stated holding up a card and fitting it into the duel disk, and making it appear behind his two dark monsters. "Maybe you should just quit and come quietly… Although, knowing you, that's not bloody likely to happen."

Hyde didn't answer, instead he was more preoccupied with his cigarette, exhaling to allow a large trail of smoke to float into the air. '_Something's wrong here… He didn't act like that outside… And I must've gotten caught up in the moment, cause I didn't notice till now, but where the hell is that purse…'_

"You going to make a move, Joker?" Damian questioned pulling a toothpick from his pocket and fitted into his mouth. "Or should I consider this a forfeit?"

'… _And what's with that name?'_ Hyde thought as he quickly drew. '_In any case, he does have an advantage… And like he said, I can't really destroy that booster without destroying the other dark monster, which is easier said than done…_

'_If I was anyone else…'_

Hyde held up another card from his hand, "To start, I activate Hand Destruction."

Without even blinking, Damian pulled off two cards from his hand, turning them around to reveal a pair of DARK monsters, "I know that card, we both discard two cards and then draw two cards."

"How right you are," Hyde answered back holding up a pair of monster cards from his hand before he fitted them into his graveyard slot. "A good way to refresh one's hand… Of course, when you run my deck, some cards can have their worth doubled. Now, I'll summon Gozuki!"

With a snort, a large ox headed demon leapt from behind Hyde, landing on the ground to slam its large mallet into the ground in front of it (1700/800). "And like your Armageddon Knight, I can use this monster's ability to send a zombie monster from my deck to the graveyard."

Holding his hand up to the deck, Hyde caught the card that was selected, "And I choose Mezuki."

"Ah, yeah, that's the cornerstone to almost every zombie deck," Damian mused with a dulled look on his face. "And knowing strategy, you're probably going to remove it immediately from play to special summon one of the monsters you just discarded."

"You're lucky you're not in the casino," Hyde stated taking his cigarette out to tap some of the burnt ash off. "That's a bet you would've lost…"

A powerful blue flame wrapped around Gozuki's body, making the Japanese Demon's body grow more muscular with the dark brown fur turning into a pitch black color. The flames fully covered the demon's body, then immediately disappeared into the Demon's body…

… Which had fully transformed, resembling more like a bull headed demon dressed in a white toga and black beds around its neck. The newest Yokai roared loudly as it slammed its feet into the ground (2200/400). "I prefer to use Gyūki's effect in these kinds of situations."

"Impressive…" Damian admitted crossing his arms. "Although, I would make a comment about how weak it is, but you've yet to finish your turn…"

"How right you are," Hyde admitted spinning a card around his hand before he slapped it onto his duel disk. "I summon Tanuki Spirit!"

A pop of smoke erupted on Gyūki's shoulder, surprising the bull demon as the smoke disappeared, forming into a small, cute raccoon dog that had a belled collar around its neck (500/400).

"… Are you serious?" Damian asked as a small bead of sweat appeared on the side of his field.

"Deadly," Hyde answered holding up another card from his hand. "Let me show you, Tanuki Spirit! Possess Gyūki!"

Nodding to his duelist's command, the Tanuki Spirit popped into several leafs that wrapped around the bull demon's neck, forming into the very same collar that was around the Tanuki's neck (2200/400 + 500/500), making Gyūki roar loudly.

"But I'm not done," Hyde continued fitting the card he held up into his duel disk. "I don't normally use equip cards, but this is quite appropriate – Golden Shakujo!"

A gold blur appeared over Gyūki's head, allowing the bull demon to swiftly throw his hand into the air and grab the blur in the swift motion, showing that the weapon resembled that of a golden staff that ended with a circle that had several gold rings jingling around it (2700/900 + 300/0).

"And what the world is that supposed to do?" Damian asked as the Gyūki slammed the staff into the ground.

"Let me tell you something," Hyde stated holding his cigarette up. "A shakujo is a Buddhist staff that was used for prayer and as a weapon… Normally, Yokai would steal these staffs from priests who fell at their feet, a weapon that was originally intended to slay them…

"And now that my Yokai has it in his grasp, he's more than capable of dealing with your dark parodies! Gyūki attack the Dark Baboon!"

Both of the beastly monsters glared at each other for a moment, before both of them leapt high into the air, both of them with their weapons spun over their heads.

"They'll just kill each other!" Damian pointed out. '_And I can't use Dark Mist… I have one of the level five monsters in my hand and the other's in the graveyard!'_

"Actually, thanks to Tanuki Spirit," Hyde explained, as the Yokai and Dark Baboon crossed their weapons. "Only your monster will be destroyed."

The collar popped into smoke, allowing the Tanuki to fly from Gyūki's neck and right into the Dark Baboon's face, surprising the dark parody. That left Dark Baboon wide open as Gyūki stabbed the end of the staff directly into the Baboon's stomach shattering the dark monster along with the Tanuki.

"And when Gyūki destroys a monster," Hyde stated as the bull demon crashed into the ground in front of Damian (3000/900 – 500/500), snorting loudly. "You take six hundred points of damage."

Before Damian could a word in edgewise, the Gyūki slammed the Shakujo directly into the dark clothed Shadowchaser's stomach, sending him skidding back slightly. (DLP: 7400)

"And don't think your Dusk Commander's safe," Hyde stated pulling the cigarette from his mouth and immediately throwing it to the ground to step on. "Thanks to the Golden Shakujo, I can allow my monster to attack once more if he successfully destroyed a monster as a result of battle!"

"Wait, what?" Damian questioned, noticing that the bull demon was spinning the golden staff over his head.

"Attack Dusk Commander!"

Gyūki quickly slammed the staff into the Dusk Commander's stomach, sending the knight flying through the air before it shattered into mist. (DLP: 6500)

"And since he just destroyed another monster," Hyde explained as Gyūki leapt into the air once more, spinning through the air. "You take more damage!"

The staff slammed directly into Damian's shoulder, making him fall to his knee as the Gyūki spun back to Hyde's field. "D-Damn it… I guess even a joker can have some interesting strategies." (DLP: 5900)

'_I guess I haven't given this guy enough credit…'_ Damian thought as he stood up, dusting off his shoulder. _'Then again, he is associated with Vlad, it'd be a given that he'd have a few techniques, of course, with Yokai, I was thinking he'd use Mezuki to bring back Crow Tengu and destroy Dark Baboon… _

'_But he must've seen my Dark Illusion trap coming.'_

"If you're going to call me something," Hyde stated looking at the duel disk on his arm. "I'd prefer to be called Hyde… After all, it was the name my mother gave me."

"… I honestly can't tell if that's a joke or not…" Damian muttered to himself as he pushed up his shades.

Either not hearing Damian or ignoring the comment, Hyde just fitted a card into his duel disk, making it appear next to the other face down card. "Now, I'll set a card face down. And you don't have to worry about my equip card next turn. After all, it's a weapon used by monks to slay demons, if a Yokai uses it too often they'd destroy themselves…

"So, my Yokai will discard it."

Holding up the Shakujo, the Gyūki snorted in disgust and tossed the weapon to the side, crossing its arms in pride (2500/400 – 300/0).

"So, Damian, try your hand," Hyde answered nodding to himself.

"Not going to be a problem, Jok… Hyde," Damian corrected himself before he drew. '_Great, now I'm starting to play along with this delusion…'_

Meanwhile…

"Hehehehe," Joker cackled leaning forward slightly. "Man, if only I had a box of popcorn… Or in my case, a box of minerals. Both still taste delicious with butter… Hehehehe."

While Joker was snickering, he never noticed the small cracks that were starting to appear on the small platform where he was seated on…

Back on the dueling ground…

"Now watch this, Hyde," Damian stated turning a card around in his hand. "I'll start this turn by activating Magic Planter. Since my Dark Mist has served its purpose, I'll use this card to draw two more cards."

The trap card instantly disappeared, forming into a dark mist that allowed Damian to pull off the top two cards from his deck, "… Now, for the spell card – Fiend's Sanctuary!"

"That's… Uh, what does that one do?" Hyde questioned as a dark mist began to flow over the ground. "I'm not that fluent in how a lot of cards work…"

"This one's simple," Damian sighed as a large mass of metal began to rise up in front of him, its body looking vaguely human, save for it having a tail instead of legs (0/0). "It allows me to summon a Metal Fiend Token. Thing is, if you attack it, you'll be the one taking the damage."

"I'll make a mental note," Hyde answered back rolling his eyes.

"Don't bother," Damian replied as the Metal Fiend Token shattered like glass. "It's just being used as tribute bait for the moment. Allowing me to summon another one of the big guns in this deck…"

From the mist stood a tall daunting figure – Dressed in black and yellow demonic armor, this blue skinned man had long dark hair with a ragged green and black cape flowing from his shoulder pads. And one his regal, yet dark face, the man smirked devilishly and drew a hideous blade from his side (2300/1700). "Dark General Freed…"

"… And people say that my monsters are ghoulish," Hyde stated eyeing the dark general.

"I hear that sometimes too," Damian admitted spinning around the other card he drew. "Now, I activate Dark Eruption. So now, I can take back Dusk Commander back to my hand."

"Unless you've got Double Summon in your hand," Hyde sighed crossing his arms. "Then that was a little bit of a waste…"

"I don't need to summon her to defeat your monster," Damian pointed out throwing his hand up. "Freed! Slay that Yokai!"

Gyūki slammed his fists against his chest, not bothering to wait for Freed to attack and trying to defeat the warrior…

… Only to get a sword to the chest, shattering the Yokai into millions of pixels. (HLP: 7700)

"… I don't know if you've noticed," Hyde muttered tapping the box of cigarettes in his pocket, contemplating if he wanted to light up another one. "But you've been busting out all these powerhouses, and you've only been able to chip at my life points."

"Trust me, it won't be that way for long," Damian replied fitting one card into his duel disk, the face down card materializing behind his smirking Dark General. "One card, set. End."

Hyde drew, putting off his cigarette for the moment… '_… Not exactly the king of monsters… But then again, it'll help till I can draw something to take down Freed.'_

"I'll set a monster," Hyde announced as the set card appeared in front of him. "And with that, hit me with your best shot…"

"You're going to regret saying that," Damian warned holding his hand up to his deck, catching a card in his fingers. "Instead of conducting my battle phase, Dark General Freed allows me to take a Dark monster from my deck… And I choose Dark Battle Ox."

'_I'm betting another dark parody of one of Ace's monsters,'_ Hyde thought watching as Damian immediately slapped the card onto his duel disk.

As soon as the newest monster appeared on the field, Hyde's suspicions were confirmed, in place of the red armored minotaur, stood a dark parody of the infamous minotaur, its fur a dark gray with black and silver armor covering its body (1700/1000).

"… Dark General Freed!" Damian shouted as the warrior held the blade in front of his eyes. "Slay that face down monster!"

The dark warrior dashed forward and stabbed the sword into the back of the face down monster, making it reveal a weird looking umbrella like Yokai, its one eye bulging out before it erupted into countless pixels (800/0).

"That was Karakasa," Hyde stated as two cards popped out of his deck. "And when destroyed, I can summon the other two from my deck in defense mode…"

"However, that's actually working in my advantage," Damian stated as the two set monsters appeared in front of Hyde. "Take a look at your duel disk…"

Blinking a few times, Hyde slowly turned his attention down to his duel disk, his eyes widening at the life point counter, "What the?" (HLP: 5400)

"My Dark Battle Ox is the equivalent to the Enraged version," Damian replied holding up his duel disk. "But once more, that only applies to dark monsters… And speaking of my Dark Battle Ox, attack one of those face down monsters!"

Snarling loudly, the dark minotaur leapt through the air and slammed the axe it wielded into one of the face down Karakasa monsters, cleaving the monster in two.

"Not happening!" Hyde announced as his face down card lifted up, creating a rush of air that swept over his body. "Defense Draw turns that damage to zero, and allows me a new card. If I knew your ox could burn through defenses, I would've used this on Freed…"

Hyde clicked off the top card from his deck.

And with a shrug, Damian fitted one of the remaining cards into his duel disk, "Lost chances are nothing to complain about, Joker."

"I thought we were already over this," Hyde grumbled looking at the card he just drew. '_… Well, at the very least, I'll be able to beat that into his head…'_

"Sorry, Joker, but I'm not interested in playing your games," Damian replied pulling his shades down to leer at Hyde. "And frankly, I don't have the time for this either… So…"

That's when Hyde held his hand up, "… Now hold up. You keep accusing me of being this Joker character... What's your basis of this?"

"My basis?" Damian growled throwing his arm to the side. "I saw you transform right in front of me!"

Hyde nodded as he flicked the cigarette into his mouth, immediately lighting it up, "So, it's a given that 'Joker' is a shape-shifter of some sort. And if that's the case, then there would be at least a fifty percent chance that neither of us are 'Joker'."

"Well, you're not cracking jokes," Damian admitted rubbing his chin. "But, that still doesn't mean you're not Joker, if anything, you could just pretend to be this… Calculating, smoke addicted, noir movie reject."

Hyde stood there for a second, allowing the smoke from his cigarette to waiver around him, "… Just for that, I'm kicking your ass."

Like that, the tobacco addicted duelist slapped the card onto his duel disk, allowing a powerful windstorm to sweep the field, forming into a powerful twister. "I summon Kamaitachi in attack mode!"

From inside the twister, a large weasel appeared within it with a large scythe grasped in its paws (1200/800).

"… Another weird Yokai?" Damian questioned with a shake of his head. "Doesn't matter! I activate my trap card – Hidden Soldiers! Now, since you just normal summoned a monster, I can special summon a Dark monster from my hand…

"Three guesses who's making a special appearance."

From the risen trap card, the Dusk Commander leapt through the card, shattering it as the dark warrior drew her weapon (1200/1900 + 400/0), empowering both Dark General Freed (2300/1700 + 400/0) and Dark Battle Ox (1700/1200 + 400/0).

"That's fine with me," Hyde answered reaching for his duel disk. "I flip up my remaining Karakasa…"

The face down monster popped up, forming into the comical Karakasa (800/0), whose brothers were slain only minutes ago.

"And what are those two supposed to do?" Damian asked eyeing the two monsters. "The only Yokai that can actually defeat Freed at the moment is Red Ogre, and like you pointed out before, unless you have Double Summon."

Hyde blew some smoke from his mouth, "… My apologies, I didn't properly introduce Kamaitachi… He's a tuner monster…"

Damian's sunglasses slumped down his nose slightly as the weasel Yokai shattered into three different rings of light, immediately wrapping around the Karakasa, "A… A Synchro summon?"

The Karakasa stuck his tongue out of his mouth before it popped into three stars that flew high into the air in between the three rings, immediately transforming into a tall tower of light.

And just like that, the tower of light shattered, allowing another Yokai to appear, this one resembling that of a ghostly white dog, snarling loudly before it drew the katana from its back (2600/1250). "Inugami… Howl at the night!"

'_A Yokai Synchro monster?'_ Damian thought loudly in his head as he looked at the Yokai monster. '_I didn't think such a thing existed! I thought all zombie Synchro monsters needed Plaguespreader…'_

"Now, I know what you're thinking," Hyde stated as a powerful twister of air erupted around the Inugami. "Yeah, Inugami's not strong enough to destroy your monsters… However, I'm aiming to destroy your monsters this turn, I'm aiming at you. Since, thanks to Kamaitachi, the Synchro monster that was summoned can attack you directly, just as long as I cut his attack in half."

"Wait, what?" Damian questioned as the Inugami leapt high into the air, spinning around until the ghostly dog slashed the blade right through Damian's stomach, making the Dark user Shadowchaser grunt in pain. (DLP: 4600)

Hyde sighed, blowing some smoke from his mouth as the Inugami leapt back to his field, "Now then, hopefully that cooled your head off."

Rubbing his chest, Damian stood up straight, "… Not a bad move, but it'll take a lot more than that to make me roll over and die."

"Not like I wanted that to happen," Hyde said with a shrug of his shoulders as he fitted a card into his duel disk, making it appear next to the other face down card he had on his field. "I'm done for this turn."

Without a moment of hesitation, Damian snapped off the top card from his deck, turning the card around he slapped the card onto his duel disk, "You're not the only one who can Synchro Summon, I summon Dark Resonator!"

A cloud of dark smoke poured onto the field, forming into the small stocky demon dressed in ripped robes, with a tuning fork in its hands (1300/300).

"Now, I don't need to explain to you what comes next," Damian admitted as the Dark Resonator chimed the tuning fork in its hands, making the small demon transform into a trio of rings that wrapped around the Dark Battle Ox's body.

The Dark Battle Ox roared loudly before it erupted into a tower of darkness, allowing the three rings to combine with the mysterious darkness, turning it into a large cloud of dark smoke. Moments later, a sleek and tall, blue armored demon with long arms and wings that ended with sharp claws and behind its skull-like face a large amount of smoke that served as it hair (2600/2600 + 400/0) flew over Damian's head. "Demon Chaos King, one of the deadliest Synchro monsters out on the streets…"

'_And yet another card that one of my co-workers uses,_' Hyde thought taking a long drag on his second cigarette since the start of the match. '_Heck, if this guy is using dark counterparts, he probably has a parody of one of Faye's cards in there somewhere.'_

"Better pay attention, you smoke-addicted phony," Damian stated throwing his hand forward. "Cause my Demon Chaos King is attacking your ghost dog! And when my demon attacks, all monsters on your side of the field get their attack and defense swapped!"

Hyde just watched as the Demon Chaos King flew through the air, spinning into a dark twister of flames and smoke while the Inugami dropped his sword in surprise (2600/1250 = 1250/2600).

And just as the demon was about to dive right into the Inugami's body, the canine Yokai erupted into several leaves. (HLP: 3650)

"And now that he's out of the way…" Damian started only to stop when he noticed that the leaves were still coming together around Hyde's field. "… What the?"

"Hate to disappoint," Hyde replied pulling the cigarette to tap some of the ashes off when the leafs formed into the clearly annoyed Inugami. "But thanks to my Kitsune Trickery trap, all at the cost of discarding the Yuki-Onna from my deck, I can make sure my Inugami stays for a little bit longer."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Damian questioned throwing his hand forward. "I've still got Dark Freed and Dusk Commander out! Dusk Commander! Slay that Yokai!"

The dark armored knight leapt through the air, spinning the blade over her head and prepared to stab it into the Inugami… But was stopped dead in her tracks as a powerful vortex of energy erupted around the ghostly dog, sending her skidding back, "Sorry kid, but Negate Attack delivers what it promises, and negates the attack automatically."

'… _But, if he had that trap set, then why didn't he activate it to prevent his life points from lowering?'_ Damian thought to himself as his eyes widened behind his shades. '_Of course! His strategy revolves around the graveyard! If anything, he wants that monster in there so he can get to it… But, Yuki-Onna? I know it's a Yokai, but what the heck is he planning on doing with that?'_

"Now look who's daydreaming," Hyde pointed out fitting the cigarette back in his mouth. "Better keep your head out of the clouds kid…"

"No need to tell me that," Damian replied fitting a card into his duel disk, making it appear behind his three Dark monsters. "I'll set a card and…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Both Hyde and Damian jumped when they heard that scream, making them both turn their heads up just in time to see a black and purple blur crash into the ground a few yards away from them, sending dirt and debris flying through the air.

A few moments later, the dust fell to reveal none other than Joker dazed on the ground, in his hands a balancing pole that was now broken in two. "Ugh… They really need to make those platforms sturdier… It couldn't even support a Mirror Golem, I only weigh three hundred and twenty-four pounds…"

Damian was at a loss of words as he stared at Joker's fallen form, and then he craned back towards Hyde who was just enjoying his cigarette, "But… I thought that…"

"Mirror Golem, eh?" Hyde mused as he took a slight drag on his Lucky Seven cigarette. "That's a new one… I'm guessing he's a doppelganger and the reason why we're both fighting like this…"

"DING, DING, DING!" Joker chimed as he jumped to his feet, discarding the broken balancing pole to the sides. "Behold the genius that is Joker! The Mirror Golem who can turn to supposed allies into enemies! There are two kinds of people in this world, those who are geniuses and those who are idiots! It's obvious that I'm…"

"You're the second," Hyde pointed out.

"WHAT!" Joker snapped pushing up his hat to leer at the older Shadowchaser. "That's rude! That's crude! That's…"

"True," Damian finished, trying to regain his composure. "The idea itself was a good plan… But, you could've picked a better hiding place."

"Huh?" Joker questioned with a dumbfounded look plastered over his face.

"Or you could've used the second exit and escaped," Hyde pointed out.

"Huh? Huh?" Joker mewed with his head tilting to the side.

"Yeah, now that we know that neither one of us is you," Damian muttered, rubbing the back of his head at the slightly embarrassing mix-up. "You're going to have to deal with me…"

"You realize of course," Hyde politely coughed out with his arms over his chest. "That he's in Las Vegas, which is in my jurisdiction…"

"Yeah, but his crimes extend to that of Los Angelos!" Damian countered.

"Aw shucks boys," Joker chuckled pushing his fingers together, a wicked smile on his face. "There's no need to fight over little old me… However, there is a need to fight me! Hehehehehe!"

"… Yep, that's definitely Joker," Damian sighed lowering his head slightly. "Only he could make such a lame attempt at a joke…"

Whether Joker heard him or ignored Damian, the Mirror Golem lifted his left arm up, and pulled back his sleeve. Attached to his arm was a sleek duel disk that began to unfold itself. "You… Old guy."

Hyde narrowed his eyes at Joker who reached into his pocket.

"You said that I could've run away," Joker chuckled producing a deck of duel monster cards, snapping it into his duel disk. "And I could've… However, there's a matter of pride! Everyone has it, even a jokester like me has it… And my pride tells a guy like me to finish what I started, hehehehehe!"

"… No one ever died by swallowing his pride," Hyde stated, snapping the cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with some dust flying up. "You're just being an idiot."

"Who's the bigger idiot?" Joker snickered as his duel disk lit up. "Me? Or the guys who fought each other for a good half hour using swords and then duel monsters?"

Both Hyde and Damian looked at each other for a few seconds before turning their leers back at Joker.

"By your silence," the Mirror Golem snickered with his hand lifted up to his mouth. "I have my answer! Hehehehehe! Now, pick up your duel disks! We're going battle royal with this!" (JLP: 8000)

"… Why the hell would you want to do that?" Damian questioned raising an eyebrow.

"There are two kinds of people in the world," Joker cackled wagging his finger slightly. "Those who take the easy and stupid way out, and those who go the hard way… I figure that if I dueled one of you two, the other would be able to see my deck's strategy… Sides, you two are weakened thanks to you two dueling each other…

"I'm like killing three ducks with one stone!"

"… Seriously, was that an attempt at a joke?" Damian asked turning towards Hyde.

"Honestly, I can't tell," Hyde muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Although… There's one thing that I can tell…"

"And what's that?" Damian questioned.

"That this joker is a few cards short of a full deck," Hyde answered looking over the few remaining cards in his hand.

"I'd appreciate it if you leave the bad jokes to me!" Joker announced pulling off a sixth card from his deck. "Now, watch and learn! I set a monster face down…"

"Did we even agree to this kind of duel?" Hyde questioned watching as the set monster appeared in front of Joker.

"Honestly, I think he's off in his own little world," Damian sighed.

"Now, let's kick it up a notch!" Joker announced as he fitted two cards into his duel disk, materializing them onto the field. "By throwing down a pair of face downs. Now, get your games on!"

"… I swear," Hyde muttered rolling his eyes. "That has got to be one of the most suggestive lines I've heard… And I've read reports about a guy keep going on about 'Climax'."

'… _I guess freaks are everywhere,_' Damian thought to himself as he watched Hyde draw his next card.

Hyde looked at his card, but then tossed the card into his hand before he reached into his graveyard slot, "You wanted a duel, you transforming creep? You're about to get one, I remove Mezuki from the graveyard in order to special summon Yuki-Onna!"

A large pillar of ice erupted next to Hyde, shattering to unleash a beautiful blue haired woman dressed in a blue and white kimono (1000/0).

"And since she was special summoned," Hyde continued as he pulled out another card from his graveyard. "I can special summon another Yokai from my graveyard, and I've got quite the selection…

"Rise up, Gozuki!"

With a loud snort, the ox demon reappeared on the field, its arms crossed over its chest and its hammer strapped to its back (1700/800).

"Now, I think its time I return the two monsters in my removed from play pile," Hyde said as he lifted up the Mezuki and Gyūki cards that he had before and fitted them into his deck. "I can send all spells and trap cards on the field back to our hands, courtesy of Inugami!"

'_So, that's what those Yokai can do,'_ Damian thought to himself as the Inugami howled loudly, making all the face down cards on the field shake.

"Hate to tell ya, oldie!" Joker snickered as he pushed a button onto his duel disk. "Since you're activating an effect that would return my cards to my hand, I can activate this trap card, Treasure Map!

"Now I get two cards, but I need to discard one from my hand…"

Joker pulled off the top two cards from his deck and then reached for another card in his hand, "Now, I'll choose to discard Broww, Huntsman of Dark World… Which allows me to draw another card!"

Hyde's face dulled slightly as Joker drew another card from his deck, '_Am I seriously going to have to face cards that my co-workers use?'_

"But that's not all!" Joker laughed as his other face down card flipped up, allowing a loud roar. "Threatening Roar makes it so you can't attack!"

Hyde growled as both of Damian's cards popped back into his hand, "Yeah? Well, that won't stop me, I activate Gozuki's effect, making me send Mezuki back to my graveyard."

Just as quickly as he fitted the card into his graveyard slot, Hyde threw his hand forward, "And just because you've canceled my attack, that doesn't mean I can't pull a few other moves… I can tune my level two Yuki-Onna and my level four Gozuki…"

Damian blinked a few times as he watched the Yuki-Onna float over to the ox demon, her body transforming into two rings of blue light that wrapped around the Gozuki. '_Another Yokai tuner? Man, this Hyde guy has a few tricks up his sleeves…'_

Within seconds, the light covered Gozuki disappeared, forming into another tower of light… That shattered like glass with a loud howl that blasted through the air, revealing a white and red furred wolf on the field, a large shield strapped to its back (2350/1700). "To get my level six Okami! Now, to end my turn, I'll set one card face down… So, who's next?"

"That'd be me," Damian answered by quickly drawing. '_I should've used Freed's effect, however, I've got enough to get through Joker's lone defense and wipe that smirk off his face… This maybe battle royal, but since I know that Hyde's not really Joker, then he's not the main threat…'_

"Dark General Freed!"

The Dark General didn't need to hear another word, he lashed over the field and immediately stabbed the sword directly into the back of the face down monster, making it explode in several clouds of red smoke (1000/100).

"Now I," Damian started until the smoke clouds wrapped around his body. "What the…"

The smoke exploded, making Damian stagger backwards, "Urk!" (DLP: 4100)

"Hehehe, quite a blast!" Joker chuckled as two cards popped out of his deck. "That was my Giant Germ you just attacked… So not only do you get blasted five hundred points of damage, but I get the other to take the other two Germs and get them to take the original's place!"

In two pops of red smoke, two large orbs of red ooze floated in front of Joker (1000/100 x2). "Heh, so thanks now I've…"

"I've got two more targets!" Damian announced throwing his hand forward. "Demon Chaos King! Attack one of the Giant Germs! And don't forget, when my Chaos King attacks, all the attack and defense of your monsters flip!"

Joker smirked as he watched the smoke demon glide through the air, aiming towards one of the two Giant Germs (1000/100 = 100/1000 x2). And just like that, the Demon Chaos King sliced right through its target, shattering the germ into millions of spores.

"Looks like someone can't learn!" Joker chuckled fitting a card from his hand into his duel disk's graveyard slot. "You still get blasted!"

'_He does realize that he took battle damage, right?'_ Damian thought as he waved away some of the spores. (DLP: 3600)

However, Joker just stood there, dusting off his overcoat. (JLP: 8000)

"What the?" Damian questioned blinking a few times.

"Its not that hard to figure out how he did it," Hyde answered with a shrug. "I probably had a Kuriboh in his hand, or he drew it."

"Guilty!" Joker laughed loudly as he nodded his head.

"… Yeah, well, I bet you don't have a second one!" Damian announced as the Dusk Commander charged forward and immediately stabbed the second Giant Germ.

For a second, the Giant Germ floated their, until it exploded into several spores. (DLP: 3100) (JLP: 6500)

"Oh no," Joker mused wagging his finger about in the air. "You scratched my life points… Whatever shall I do?"

"… I'm going to enjoy wiping that smirk off your face," Damian growled as he fitted three cards into his duel disk, making them appear behind all three of his dark monsters. "Turn end…"

"Then that leaves it to me!" Joker announced pulling another card from his deck, giving him a full hand. "… And now, I'll start by activating the spell card, Terraforming!"

'… _Terraforming? Why the heck would he have that card?'_ Hyde thought as Joker pulled a card from his deck and into his hand.

"Next, I don't really like how the field is looking," Joker admitted as he spun around a card in his hand. "So, first I'll be activating the spell card – Mystical Space Typhoon! Allow me to destroy your middle face down card Damian!"

Damian winced as a powerful surge of wind crashed into the face down card, shattering it, '_So much for Dark Illusion…'_

"Next," Joker continued fitting a card into his duel disk, making a powerful flame appear at his feet as he began to spin around slightly. "The folks was flaming, out of control, it was so entertainin' when the boogie started to explode, I heard somebody say…

"Burn baby burn! Disco Inferno!"

The flames at Joker's feet kicked up, and flew through the air until they crashed directly into both Dark General Freed and Dusk Commander, burning them both into small cinders, leaving only the Demon Chaos King (3000/2600 – 400/0) on Damian's monster field.

"What the hell did you just play!" Damian demanded as Joker still continued to dance.

"Aw, getting a little hot under the collar?" Joker snickered as he rubbed his nose. "Don't worry, all I played was Aetonix Flame. It destroys all non-fiend and fire attribute monsters on the field… And since it doesn't target, Dark Freed's effect doesn't help!"

'_Great, this guy did his homework,'_ Damian thought.

"Then how come my two Yokai are still out on the field?" Hyde questioned slowly reaching into pocket, hoping to sneak a third cigarette.

"Well, according to Battle Royale rules," Joker stated with a wag of his finger. "I can only select one opponent at the time for an effect like this. Since the card specifies 'opponent'. Since Damian's Dark monsters have a stake on the field, I felt like I should take that out first… But don't worry, I still have a plan!

"Ya see, Aetonix Flame has one more ability, I get to summon a Fire-Attribute, or a Fiend-Type monster from my graveyard… So, I'll bring out one of the most dangerous fiends in all of duel monsters!"

A small ember appeared in front of Joker, popping into a small brown furred creature with large yellow eyes and small claws… Chirping in joy as the creature landed in front of Joker (300/200). "Psyche! I choose Kuriboh!"

Joker lifted one card up in his hand and fitted it into his duel disk, "Now, I'll set one card face down… Hmm… Ya know, I'm having a tough time trying to come up with jokes, you two are quite the tough crowd…"

"You're a Shadowkind who's got a pair of Shadowchasers fighting against you," Hyde pointed out, fitting the cigarette in his mouth. "I would think that warrants that this situation be kind of devoid of jokes…"

"Awe, but that'd make life so dull," Joker moaned as he clasped his hands together.

"You can crack all the bad jokes you want," Damian growled holding up two cards from his graveyard. "But because of your little stunt, I can remove my Dark Battle Ox in order to bring back a familiar face…"

A loud roar erupted through the large room, allowing the Dark Baboon to crash from the ceiling, waving its club through the air (2600/1800).

"I guess I slipped on this monkey's banana peel," Joker snickered as he adjusted his cap.

"… After the night I've had," Hyde muttered snapping his lighter open and lit his cigarette ablaze. "I really didn't need this crap… And your bad jokes are really pissing off."

"Alright, let's try this then," Joker cackled as he rubbed his chin. "What did the mermaid do last Saturday night?"

"I refuse to answer," Hyde replied.

"She went to sea a movie!" Joker laughed loudly as he threw his head back and forth.

Both Hyde and Damian just looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Alright, alright, how about this one," Joker suggested with a snicker. "Why did the baker rob the bank?"

"Why can't this guy shut up?" Damian muttered.

"He needed the dough!" Joker chuckled loudly as he held his sides. "Oh! That's a good one!"

"… I'm taking my turn now," Hyde muttered as he quickly drew.

"And when you draw," Joker interrupted as his face down card lifted up. "I play my spell card, Multiply!"

The original Kuriboh yelped as it spun around, forming four other Kuribohs on Joker's field (300/200 x5). "I always love having an audience, and the bigger the better! Now time for another classic joke! What did the ocean say to the…"

"How about you save it?" Hyde stated looking at the card he just drew. '_My deck's somewhat thinning… But, I can easily fix that…'_

"I summon Shutendoji!"

In a powerful flame, the red skinned ogre appeared onto the field, guzzling a large amount of sake from its gourd (1500/800). "Next, I'll remove the Mezuki from my graveyard to use his effect… Come back Gozuki!"

The ground shattered, allowing the large bull-headed demon to crawl back onto the field, snorting loudly as it drew its hammer (1700/800).

"Next, I'll use Shutendoji's effect," Hyde announced holding up the Mezuki card up in front of him as the Shutendoji cackled loudly as it spun the gourd of sake around. "Allowing me to put Mezuki back on top of my deck… However, it's not staying there for too long, I activate Gozuki's effect again!"

Gozuki slammed its mallet into the ground, allowing Hyde to lift up a card from his deck, "So, I'll just send this Yokai to the graveyard…"

"Now… Time to clear the field of some puffballs," Hyde stated throwing his hand forward. "Inugami! Okami! Shutendoji! Gozuki! Shut the yaps on his audience!"

All four of the Yokai leapt into the air, the Inugami and Okami slammed their paws into two of the Kuriboh Tokens while the Shutendoji and Gozuki crushed two others.

"Uh…" Joker mumbled as he stepped back slightly.

"Out of jokes, you big lug?" Hyde asked taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"Uh… What skeleton was a famous detective?" Joker questioned with a large smirk on his face. "Sherlock Bones!"

"… I'm going to enjoy sending you to the cooler," Hyde growled fitting a card from his hand into his duel disk, making it appear behind his four Yokai. "I'm getting tired of those rotten jokes flying out of your trap."

"Believe it or not," Damian sighed as he drew. "I actually have to listen to this comedy club reject's testimony…"

"Oh, looks like I'm not the only one cracking jokes!" Joker laughed loudly.

"… I have no comment on that," Damian growled looking at the card he just drew. '_Hmm… For this card to work, I'd need to have it in the graveyard… And in any case, I'd need two dark monsters. I've got neither… Oh well, not like I need it for this turn anyway…'_

"Dark Baboon! Smash that last token!"

Snarling loudly, the dark furred prime ape leapt into the air, and immediately stomped down on the token, squishing it into a small furry pancake.

"And that makes you wide open!" Damian announced as the Demon Chaos King flew through the air, spinning about until it crashed directly into Joker's chest, sending the Mirror Golem skidding back.

Joker slowly stood up, scratching his chest, "Sorry to break it to ya, but my head's not the only hard thing about me." (JLP: 3900)

"First time someone's admitted about being stupid," Hyde muttered rolling his eyes.

"Ah, but who's the real dummy here?" Joker questioned reaching for his deck. "You about done, dark boy?"

"Knock yourself out," Damian sighed waving his hand about.

Joker quickly drew from his deck, his eyes glowing a tad bit brighter, '_Finally! I thought all of you landed at the bottom of my deck! Now the fun can really begin!' _

Joker reached into the graveyard, "Alright you two… You've been calling the shots for a while now… So I think its only fair that I get the chance to have some more fun! I remove my three Giant Germs from my graveyard!"

Three ghostly spirits began to wrap around Joker's body, allowing the dark skinned golem to throw his head back in laughter as the spirits crashed into each other, "Now watch! As I bring out one of the classiest ladies in all of Duel Monsters!"

The spirits began to build up over Joker's body, forming into a familiar blue skinned demon, due to its figure and light, black armor that covered this female demon's body. Cradled in the demon's arms appeared to be a broken doll, that seemed to stare directly into Hyde and Damian's souls (2200/2800). "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the original dark lady herself, Dark Necrofear!"

"Great, just perfect," Damian growled looking at the floating demon.

"… Yeah, what's with people using either cards that my coworkers use," Hyde grumbled blowing some smoke from his mouth. "Or using parodies of them today?"

"Huh? Wait, are you saying that a Shadowchaser you work with uses Dark Necrofear?" Damian questioned as Joker tapped his foot impatiently.

"Yeah, but there's also that Baboon, Demon Chaos King," Hyde counted off on his finger tips. "That Dark World card, Kuriboh, Battle Ox…"

"Ahem!" Joker coughed politely. "Hello! Dangerous Shadowkind who's got a powerhouse of a demon here, ready to rip your heads off! Dark Necrofear! Destroy Gozuki!"

At first the Dark Necrofear just floated there, but then her eyes shot open, sending a pair of small yellow beams of light that zigzagged over the field until they crashed directly into the bull-headed demon, making the Yokai erupt into several flames. (HLP: 2950)

"That kinda reminded me of Darkseid," Hyde muttered as he fitted the Gozuki card into his graveyard slot.

"Who?" Joker questioned tilting his head slightly.

"… Looks like some people can't get a good reference to a classic comic," Hyde grumbled holding his cigarette out and towards Joker. "You about done yet?"

"Almost," Joker snickered holding three cards up. "To end my turn, I'll set two cards, and then, I'll activate the spell card – The Dark Door!"

That's when several ghostly flames appeared over the field, creating a single door that was between all three duelists. "Now, only one monster per turn can attack! Turn end!"

"… That won't last long," Hyde stated pulling off the top card from his deck. "All I need to do is use Shutendoji and then Inugami's effects and…"

"Not happening!" Joker laughed as one of his face down cards flipped up, revealing four comical characters (each one dressed in a different colored and themed armor) standing on a stage – Freezing up with the neon lights around them. "I activate my trap card – Stage Fright! Now, by removing an effect monster from my graveyard, I can negate all of my opponent's monster effects for a single turn!"

A large stage appeared underneath the three Yokai, surprising all three of them as microphones appeared in front of them. All three of the Yokai turned towards Hyde, and shrugged in confusion.

"… Fine, you wanna play hardball?" Hyde questioned as he threw his hand forward. "Inugami! Slay that demon!"

'_He said one of his companions used that card,'_ Damian thought rubbing his chin as the Inugami drew its sword. '_So, it's a good guess that he knows its effect, and that he has a counter measure to it…'_

The Inugami ran through the ghostly door and leapt into the air, bringing the sword down on Dark Necrofear. When the ghostly dog passed the demon, it looked for a few moments as if the Yokai had missed, however, the Dark Necrofear's body turned to shadows and ripped into several pieces. (JLP: 3500)

'_Now, he's going to use Dark Necrofear's effect,'_ Hyde thought to himself looking at the cards in his hand. '_But, luckily, I can use the Mystik Wok I drew this turn to tribute the monster he'll choose and make it disappear just before it'll get on his field.'_

"Heh… Hehehe… BWAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Joker broke out in laughter as he threw his torso back, laughing loudly into the air. "I can't believe it! It actually worked! You fell for it!"

Joker snapped his left arm up, allowing the field card zone to fold open up and letting the Mirror Golem to fit a card into his duel disk, "Remember that field card I got a few turns back? Remember how I didn't play it? Well, by destroying Necrofear, you just allowed me to play it directly from my hand!

"So, welcome to the realm of the best jokes!"

The moment the field card zone snapped shut, a red aura flew over Joker's body, immediately flowing over the three duelists and growing larger and larger, basking the entire ceiling in a blood red sky with the seats, circus equipment and other items in the area twisting into demonic parodies of themselves. Then the ground began to shake, unleashing a large diabolic castle behind the madly laughing Joker.

"Wait for it…" Joker snickered as the blood red, holographic sky began to ripple.

Just then, the sky opened up, allowing several mouths and eyes to appear around the three duelists, the eyes all looking directly at all three of the duelists while the mouths began to laugh loudly. "Ah! Now this is what I call a captive audience! Welcome to Dark Sanctuary!"

"Ugh… This is wrong on so many levels…" Hyde muttered looking at one of the closest eyes near him.

"… This, somehow seems familiar," Damian grumbled as he rubbed his chin. "I just can't remember where…"

"Hehe, sorry, but I'm not telling anything about this uber rare card!" Joker cackled as he crossed his arms. "Not until the last second anyway… Now, if you're done old man, I believe its Damian's honor to take the first steps in the brand new world…"

Hyde just shrugged looking at the face down card on his field, "I'll just set one card face down, then that's that."

Clicking his next card from his duel disk, Damian drew, taking note that there was a ghostly spirit floating around his field, "… What the hell?"

"Oh, don't mind him," Joker assured with a wave of his hand. "He's just a ghost looking for some boo-berry pancakes."

"… Do you get your jokes from some sort of kid book or something?" Damian asked with a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his head.

"Okay, then how about this?" Joker started waving a finger. "A priest, a rabbi and a penguin all walk into a bar and…"

"Enough, I get it," Damian sighed looking at his latest draw. '_Hmm… Not something I can really use, although, I can use it.'_

"I'll start this turn by activating Monster Reincarnation! Now, by tossing Dark Gear Golem from my hand, I can take back the Dusk Commander from my graveyard!"

And without a moment's hesitation, Damian slapped the card onto his duel disk, allowing the Dusk Commander to reappear on the field, spinning her sword around (1200/1900 + 400/0) and empowering both the Demon Chaos King (2600/2600 + 400/0) and Dark Baboon (2600/1800 + 400/0). "Now, I can only attack you with one monster per turn? Fine by me! Demon Chaos King! Cut him in half!"

With a nod, the Demon Chaos King flew forward, heading directly for the ghostly door…

"… Jokes on you, D-Man!" Joker laughed out as the Demon Chaos King stopped dead in its tracks, clutching its chest. "You just picked the cursed monster!"

Before Damian could even ask, a ghostly spirit shot itself directly out from the smoke demon's back and then slammed directly into Damian's chest, sending him skidding backwards. "URK!" (DLP: 1600) (JLP: 5000)

"Ah, just a refreshing feeling," Joker chuckled. "The lamentations of my enemies makes me smile…"

"What the hell did you just do, Joker?" Damian growled as he slowly stood up straight.

"Not what I did," Joker snickered as he spun around. "It's what my field card did! During each of my opponent's standby phases, one of your monsters is randomly chosen, and should you attack with that very same monster, not only is your attack stopped, but half of that monster's attack is drained from your life points and then given to me! It's the gift that keeps on giving!

"And don't even think about trying to wait me out! Both of your decks are probably low on cards and it'll only be a matter of turns till you two have nothing!"

"You kind of forgotten about Inugami," Hyde pointed out as his dog Yokai nodded in agreement.

"… Did I?" Joker cackled as he slowly drew from his deck. "Since Damian's still trying to gather his thoughts, I'm going to go straight into my next turn, and I'll activate Spellbook in the Pot! Now, two lucky players get to draw three cards… Now, for me, that's a good thing, but for you two… Well, you're probably running low on cards.

"So, I'll let the old guy take this effect."

"… Next person who makes a crack at my age," Hyde growled pulling off the top three cards from his deck. "Will get my boot to their teeth."

"Oh, I'm so scared," Joker chuckled waving the three cards in his hand. "Seriously, I am scared… Because now, I summon Headless Knight in attack mode!"

Joker slapped the card onto his duel disk, and yet no monster appeared.

"Now, I know what you're thinking," Joker snickered as a ghostly figure began to walk in front of him. "My monster's a no-show! Well, his knight is a falsely accused knight who wanders in search of his stolen head… I wonder…"

The spirit formed into a large suit of bronze and dirtied armor, holding up its sword and shield up into the air (1450/1700). "Will one of your guys' heads be a perfect fit?"

"Sorry, but it'll take more than some rusted over antique to scare me," Hyde growled adjusting the cigarette in his mouth. "I've dealt with worse."

"Well, who says that he's not going to get any worse?" Joker questioned holding up a pair of cards. "Because with the combo I have in store for you too…well, it'll be a real scream!"

Gesturing to the headless suit of armor, a portal of darkness appeared at the feet of it. Suddenly, an echoing scream came from the non-existent head of the fiend before it exploded rather violently into pixels. The Sanctuary began to shift and shake as the portal opened much wider. Suddenly, a massive claw shot through and clutched onto the ground as something began to pull itself up…

"There are two kinds of people in the world!" Joker cackled as the massive beast began to rise, overshadowing the two Shadowchasers, both of whom took a step back, craning their heads up. "Dead guys and living guys!" He cackled. "Guess which one you're about to be?"

The massive eyesore that had erupted from the ground was unlike anything the two had seen. It was easily twenty feet tall, if not more, slouched over as if it's own weight was too much for it. It's arms were massive and bulky like an apes with scrawled on letters on his fore arms that looked like a hastily scribbled I on his right arm, and an N on his left. Its legs were covered in green, matted hair but letters were on this one were A and L on the left and right, respectively.

Its chest was massive and covered in muscles with a scribbled on F in the middle of its chest. Its face was the most noticeable, where its mouth should have been were long, twitching tentacles, making horrible sucking sounds. Its eyes were glowing golden orbs, which shimmered as it moved.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, I introduce to you all, the mighty…NecroDeath!" (?/?)

"…" Damian stared up at the massive monster before he cleared his throat. His own monsters began to back away from the titanic beast, a look of fear on their faces. "I've seen worse." He said, an obvious quake in his voice.

Hyde looked at the massive beast, moving his cigarette from one side of his mouth to the other. Taking a drag from the death stick, he ashed it off to the side and put it back in his mouth, noting, "I never thought I would get to say this, but that is the ugliest damn thing I have EVER seen."

Joker pouted a little bit and crossed his arms, "Oh go smoke another death stick, old man, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all…"

"If that's the case, it's a shame I'm not blind…" Damian said before he noticed something about the giant. "Why is its attack undetermined?"

"Ah yeah!" Joker laughed, slapping his forehead, "Silly, silly me, I forgot to explain his first effect! First of all, his attack is determined by combining the attack of my removed from play Fiend type monsters! So show me high attack!" He pointed dramatically to NecroDeath.

The ghostly images of the Headless Knight, the three Giant Germs and Broww, Huntsman of Darkworld appeared in front of NecroDeath. All five of the spirits were then sucked into the tangle of tentacles that led to its mouth. Its eyes flashed a red color and it shrieked, knocking Hyde and Damian back several steps. (0/0 + 5850/0)

"High attack it is! Now let's show them what I won, Jonny!" The Mirror Golem pointed to Hyde's field, the Shadowchaser in question narrowed his eyes, as if daring him. "I got it: One belly up Shadowchaser! NecroDeath, put the old man in his place!"

NecroDeath looked to Hyde's field, its eyes began to glow heavily before massive beams of energy erupted from its ocular orbs, bee-lining for Inugami. The dog howled loud as the beams struck it dead on, vaporizing it from sight. A massive explosion erupted on the smokers field, shrouding it in dust.

"Old man!" Damian shouted in surprise over Jokers cackling.

"One down!" Joker laughed a little bit as he turned his attention to Damian, a smirk on his face. "One…to…" He paused and looked over at Hyde's field, whose form was starting to come into view.

As Hyde came into view, he was holding in his hands a large wok bowl, which was clearly empty, an unpleased look on his face. "Never did like that taste…like old rotting bandages, but I suppose you need to make due with what you have, hm? And by the way, if you call me old man one more time, I will hurt you." (HLP: 1200)

Joker slowly looked over at Hyde's field. Indeed, Inugami was gone, but so was Shutendouji, all that was there was Hyde's Mystic Wok spell. Joker frowned and shook his head, "You're no fun… You just can't stay down, can you?"

"Staying down isn't exactly my style, especially when there's so many people out there like you that are making the unbearable with your damn jokes…" Hyde said. He pulled his cigarette out of his mouth and flicked it off to the side. Pulling out his carton, he stuck a new one in his mouth. Feeling for his lighter, he looked at the Mirror Golem. "You going to do anything else, or can I go?"

Joker grumbled a little bit as a facedown card appeared on the field behind the NecroDeath. "One card facedown WILL end my turn, which leads me to my monsters effect. Normally, with Dark Sanctuary, I would need to sacrifice a monster on my side of the field, least I lose it! However, with NecroDeath, I can pay a paltry sum of 500 Life Points and it's the same effect!" Joker began to glow with a red light as his energy was drained. (JLP: 4500)

Hyde was finishing lighting his cigarette and drew his card, followed by taking a drag from his cigarette. Looking at his hand, he drew his card and looked at it. Slapping it on his duel disk, a puddle of water appeared beside Okami. From the puddle stood a very odd looking beast, like a frog that had a turtle shell slapped on its back. On top of its head was a lily pad of sorts, and its mouth was that of a duck bill. "I summon Kappa in attack mode." (100/100)

"That's not even remotely close to beating my monster…" Joker said, "In fact, I can say… Since you tried to use that, you really are washed up!" he laughed a little and slapped his knee.

"…You make the world a depressing place to be in," Hyde muttered throwing a hand up towards his two monsters. "What's more important about Kappa is the fact he's a tuner monster."

Kappa suddenly burst into a single ring, which wrapped around Okami, suddenly erupting into a pillar of fire. To the resounding beats of a drum, the dark purple skinned zombie, Hibiki appeared in attack mode. (2400/2000)

"While he may not be able to beat your monster… So I figure I may as well set up a suitable defense until I can figure out what to do," Setting one card facedown, it appeared behind the Oni, with Hyde stating, "I'll set this card facedown and turn it over to Damian."

Damian drew his card, staring at it and assessing the situation. _Let's see, I have three monsters, one of which he can't touch and one that can defeat that thing in one good attack…_He thought, _But here's where the issue comes in. Demon Chaos King can beat that thing, since it's defense didn't rise with its score. So that means we can finish him off in a matter of turns._

…_But there's also the thought that the Ghost is in him again, meaning I would lose 1500 MORE life points, he would gain more, and I'd be opened to an attack from that thing. Of course, he could have infected my Dark Baboon or Dusk Commander, thinking I would think that he would pick Demon Chaos King and therefore get paranoid to attack, So here's the main issue, do I attack and risk it, or play it safe?_

With a sigh, he gestured. Dark Baboon, Dusk Commander and Chaos King all kneeled down, crossing their arms, placing their weapons in front of them, or in Dark Baboon case, slamming his club into the ground and went to scratching himself.

"Everyone goes into defense mode…" Damian said, "Then I'll set one monster and one card facedown." With a sigh, "I guess that ends my turn."

"Awww, really guys?" Joker asked with a pout as he lazily drew his card, "You disappoint me, I was hoping a little MORE target practice or maybe something to laugh at your futile attempts. But in the mean time, let's get into one of the main effects of NecroDeath!"

A card stuck out of his deck, and he showed it to the two Shadowchasers with another grin on his face. "Once per turn, I'm allowed to send one Specific Spell or trap in my deck to my graveyard, and when I do…well…" A sinister chuckle left his lips as he slipped the Destiny Board trap into his graveyard. "Once the other pieces are there…"

"We lose, I can only assume," Hyde said. "We still have four more of your turns to figure out a way to beat that thing."

"Easier said than done…" Damian mumbled under his breath.

"Now then…" Joker said as he began to tap his chin a little bit as he looked from either field. "Which one should I attack…Eeny, meeny, miney, you."

The beam shot from the monsters eyes at Hibiki. However, halfway through the initial attack, a wall of screaming souls shot up in front of the purple skinned, drum stick wielding Oni, blocking the blow and absorbing it into the wall itself.

Joker sighed and hung his head. "Monster effect?" He asked, as if he wasn't surprised.

Hyde nodded as he pocketed Kamaitaichi his card. "By removing a Zombie monster in my graveyard when Hibiki is attacked, I can negate it. So while I have a grave full of monsters, it'll get a little more difficult to hurt me each time…"

"Then I'll just eat away at your graveyard until you have nothing left to use! For all you know, I have another Stage Fright in this deck, after all…"

"Yes, while that is a good threat, that doesn't change the fact that you don't have it in your hand," Hyde spat back. "And if it was on the field you would have played it by now. So your threat is nothing more than an empty one at that. So will you end your turn, all ready instead of these annoying shouts of revenge? Albeit, I will admit it's a refreshing change from the jokes…"

"Oh, you miss my jokes eh?" Joker mused. "Well I got a good one. Two guys are out hunting in the woods and one of them shoots the other by accident. The guy's obviously in a panic, so he calls 911 to help him.

"Help me, help me!" shouts the guy on the other line, "I shot my friend, I think he may be dead!"

"Calm down sir," Says the receptionist, "First thing's frist, we need to make sure your friend is dead.

"There's a silence over the phone and finally she hears a loud BANG! The guy picks up the phone again and says, "Okay, now what?"" Joker grinned a little bit and chuckled. The red aura surrounded his body again as his energy was drained. (JLP: 4000)

There was a silence between the two Shadowchasers, and just when it looked like Hyde was going to make a comment, Damian laughed a little.

"Okay, heh, I'll admit, that one was good. I guess the apocalypse is about to start because you actually told a joke that made me grin, and not out of pity for you."

"Hm, I thought it was kinda stupid…" Hyde mumbled as he drew a card. Slipping it into his field, a defense monster appeared in front of him. "I'll play Foolish Burial, which lets me send a monster from my deck to my graveyard, and with my deck…" He pulled his deck out and fanned it in front of him, "That's always a plus. I think I'll send…you." He slipped a monster into his graveyard, slipping his deck back into his slot, and letting the auto-shuffler do the work for him. "I'll set one monster in defense and turn it over to Damian, maybe he'll have a little more luck with this…" He gestured as the facedown monster appeared beside Hibiki.

"Yeah, not likely!" Damian drew his card and grinned at it. "First I'll summon my Necro Linker in attack mode!"

With a ghoulish, bone chilling cackling laugh a ghastly figure appeared in front of Damian. A skull like face, long tattered robes and a cudgel in his hand. (0/0)

"While he may not seem like much, I'm going to immediately activate his effect. I can sacrifice him and summon a Tuner monster form my graveyard." The Necro Linker began to laugh a little bit before fading from existence. In his place, however, was the short little Dark Resonator, curled up in defense mode, gently tapping his tuning fork. (1300/300)

"That's all I can do. Just be lucky I can't Synchro Summon after I use Necro Linker's effect. So all I can do is pass this turn and hope by some miracle we get something to work with…" He shook his head. _I'm doing horribly…hopefully I can get something to compensate for that next time…_

Joker drew a card as another card slipped out of his deck, which he was quick to discard. They could only assume was Spirit Message – 'I'. Frowning at his new card, he slipped it into his duel disk. _This is getting stupid…_ Joker snarled a little. _I'm not getting anything! I wanna finish these guys off all ready, but if they keep stalling like this…_He pouted and crossed his arms. _Stupid Shadowchasers aren't fun…_

"Oh just attack either one, I don't care!" Joker shouted to NecroDeath. The massive beast moaned in what sounded like annoyance. Another gold beam shot from its eyes and shot right for Hyde's facedown. The chain-smoking Shadowchaser grunted as his facedown card, what appeared to be Onmoraki appeared on the card before he disintegrated.

As the smoke cleared, he pointed to his trap, quickly flipping it up. "I'll play Dance of Uzume. Since you destroyed my Zombie, I can Special Summon another Zombie from my graveyard. So I'll summon the very monster you just destroyed, Onmoraki." Curling up on his field appeared the shadowy looking crane demon. Because of his effect, Hyde drew a card and looked at it. Suddenly, on the side of the crane appeared the puddle of water. "Since I special Summoned a Zombie monster form my Graveyard, I can summon Kappa again in attack mode." The water demon appeared, croaking weakly.

"Hmm…" Joker said, stroking his chin slowly. "I got something. A man walks into a bar and screams ouch."

Hyde stared at him and sighed. "Ugh…" He rubbed his eyes a little bit and shook his head. "This is getting painful, I may just have to quit just so I can go over to you and kick your teeth out…"

As Joker laughed, more of his energy was drained (JLP: 3500). "Oh come on then, we need some action to get this thing going on or there's no point going on! And frankly, I'm getting tired of you being around here…" As Hyde drew, he pointed to his facedown, "So I'll play my trap, Battle Mania! Now you have no choice in attacking this turn!"

Indeed, a red aura surrounded Hyde's monsters making them rise to their feet, their eyes blazing with pure anger.

"Now here's how this'll work. I don't wanna have to wait any longer to beat you, Old man-" Hyde twitched a little bit, "So I'm gonna end you right now. Then I'll only have to wait to beat Damian and not waste any more time! So bring it on, my monster's hungry…"

NecroDeath released an echoing groan around the two.

Hyde watched this with a shrug. "It's still my main phase." He said, "And I can set up my own little plan so I can take you down." He took a drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke from his nostrils. While he did, he pointed, stating, "I'll start by sacrificing Onmaroki and Kappa."

The water demon and the crane suddenly turned into glowing orbs of light that floated above the field, forming into a single being. Finally it slammed down on the ground, creating a heavy crater around it. The monster was rather hideous, heavy set with large muscles, a strange looking helmet, and a single glaring out over a slobbering mouth, tongue lolling out. (2900/2500)

"I figure having Daidarabotchi on the field might increase my chances. With him on the field, he gains 200 attack for each Zombie monster on the field." Daidarabotchi began to glow a dark light. (2900/2500 + 200/0)

"Before you go on a tangent saying it's no where near enough to beat it, shut up because I have a few combos to do. First of all, I play Yomi's Guidance, which is the Spell equivalent of D. Tribe. During this turn, all face up monsters on the field are considered Zombie types, which increases my monsters attack even further."

It was true, as purple smoke slipped into the NecroDeath and all of Damian's monsters. A moment later, they all became somewhat rotted entities, which cause Daidarabotchi's aura to grow in size. (3100/2500 + 1000/0)

"Then I'll play Hibiki's second effect, by returning two of my Zombies that are removed from play back to my deck, one monster's attack and defense score are cut in half." He returned Kappa and Kamaitaichi to his deck, which then shuffled itself. Hibki suddenly grinned and spun his drum sticks around before gesturing at NecroDeath. The giant fiend suddenly slumped over, very weakened. (5850/0 – 2925/0)

Joker blinked a little bit and gulped heavily. "I don't suppose we can talk about this?"

Hyde smirked a little bit. "Now THAT'S a funny joke. Daidarabotchi, attack NecroDeath!"

Daidarabotchi focused his single, glaring eye on the fiend turned zombie. With a growl, it rushed over to it and lifted his fist, intent on blowing it apart…

"Trap, go!" Joker shouted in a panicked voice, "Colossal Stand! Now my Level ten monsters can't be destroyed in battle this turn!"

The fist collided with NecroDeath but the giant didn't break. Instead it stumbled backward, trying to hold itself up. (JLP: 2325)

Hyde frowned a little bit and shook his head. "Close…" He grumbled under his breath. Least I managed to do a little more damage to your Life Points…"

"Not enough, I'm afraid!" Joker laughed. "Two kinds of people in the world, ya know, people who are close, and people who fall flat on their faces! I guess you two are the latter!"

Damian took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'm so damn tired of this…your lame jokes, your stupid giant monsters…I'm going to finish you off once and for all!" Damian shouted and drew his card. "It's my turn, and I'll start by flipping my Morphing Jar face up!"

The cackling, ceramic demon appeared on the field. All of the duelists quickly discarded their current hand and drew a new hand. All looked over their current situation.

Damian fixed his hand and pointed to his field. "Now I tune together my monsters! Dark Resonator, Morphing Jar, Synchro Summon!"

Dark Resonator banged his fork and split into three rings, which surrounded the ceramic pot. They both burst into a total of five stars, which formed into a large metallic being with an exceptionally large shield that was twice as large as the body. The being itself grunted and braced itself behind its own shield. (300/2400 + 400/0)

"Dark Safeguard will be a good defense for the mean time, hm?" Damian asked. A card slipped into his deck. "I'll set one card facedown, and then remove my Dark Freed and Dark Battle Ox from play to send this from my hand to the graveyard." He discarded the card. "That ends my turn." _Let's hope this works…_

"A duck walks into a 7/11," Joker starts as he draws his card, "Walks up to the cashier-"

"I draw the line there because that is not only the lamest joke in the entire world but it's been said so many times that if you mutter another word, so help me, I will go over there and beat you senseless, treaty or no treaty!" Damian shouted.

Another puff of smoke left Hyde's mouth. "I share the kid's sentiments exactly. Just move on with your turn. Let's not drag this out longer than it should…"

Joker shook his head. "That's what's wrong with the world, no one's got a sense of humor anymore. I think I'll finish you off this round, Smoky," he said, looking over at Hyde. "Since, in case you haven't noticed, your little giant…Thing there isn't in defense mode, and my monster is very easily in defense mode. So…"

"If I may," Damian said, "I hate to bust your bubble but with Dark Safeguard on the field…" he gestured to the massive shield carrying beast. "You can't attack any other monster until you get past him."

"Is that all?" Joker grinned. "Well then it looks like you're the first on the menu! But first, I'll get rid of this pesky little Spirit Message…" he discarded a third one, "And summon Shield Crasher."

A new monster appeared, this one a fiendish looking beast with several spikes sticking out from several different areas on it's body. (100/1200)

"By sacrificing Shield Crasher…" The fiend vanished into sparkling pixels, "My NecroDeath monster gains the ability to hurt you through defense."

_Oh come on!_ Damian thought, exasperated as he slumped over. NecroDeath's eyes began to glow again, and the beams fired once more…

"I play Dark Safeguard's effect!" Damian shouted. Suddenly, Dark Baboon vanished into pixels, which were quickly absorbed into Dark Safeguard. The Shield SOMEHOW managed to almost double in size. "By offering my Dark monster on the field, it gains defense equal to it's attack! (700/2400 + 0/2600) The attack struck through and broke it however, and Damian shouted, falling back and shouting as he was thrown from his feet. (DLP: 750)

Joker shook his head. "Two kinds of people in this world…" He began to slip card after card into his disk. Three cards appeared behind the giant monster. "People who are willing to just lay down and die, and those who are two stupid to quit…guess which one you are?"

"Sounds like you're describing yourself perfectly," Hyde muttered out loud as he drew the top card from his deck. With a quick look, Hyde nodded at the card. "… Now then, I think its time we take out tall, dark and gruesome from this field."

"Well, well, well," Joker snickered. "Looks like the old foggy actually cracked a joke… Too bad it's nothing more than an emptied threat!"

"We'll see about that," Hyde stated as he turned the card around in his hand. "Cause I activate the spell card Onryo Vengeance."

A dark mist appeared around Hyde's body, summoning a rather coldly beautiful woman dressed in a white kimono with long, unkempt black hair. As she flew around Hyde's body, the older Shadowchaser lifted up a card from his hand, "Don't worry, this card isn't meant to harm you, it's supposed to help me.

"First, I'm forced to discard a card from my hand, so, I'll discard Samebito…"

Hyde smirked as he fitted his selected card into his duel disk, then reached for his deck, pulling out a single card, "Then, I can special summon a level three or lower zombie from my deck. However, thanks to me doing that, I can't normal summon or set this turn.

"But that won't be a problem! I summon Kappa again!"

The ghostly woman blew a kiss, allowing the weird frog, turtle, duck Yokai popped back onto the field (100/100). With another Yokai on the field, the Daidarabotchi roared out loudly (3100/2500 + 200/0) as it stuck out its tongue.

"Oh joy, again with the tuners," Joker sighed as he wagged his hand in the air. "What's next? Another Yokai Synchro monster? Please, you're nothing more than a record player- Predictable, obsolete, and…"

"Excuse me, but I'm not that old," Hyde growled spitting his cigarette to the ground, adding to the other two. "And while I do usually prefer my Yokai Synchros… That's not all I've got…"

The Kappa leapt into the air, transforming into a single ring that flew around the Hibiki's body, transforming the purple skinned echo demon's body into seven stars that immediately erupted into a tall tower of light. "_The card you hold is your bond to the path you walk, and the cause you have pledged to. Use it for no purpose except in the service of that cause. Ignorance is not bliss, but knowledge is not power…"_

"That… That line," Damian muttered as the tower of light shattered like glass…

In place of the tower of light, stood a rather intimidating figure – A golden skinned man with long hair dressed in majestic armor, wielding a both a sword and a shield (2600/2400). "Jalal the Dragonborn… Welcome to the fight, boss."

Jalal slowly turned around and nodded towards Hyde… And then blinked as he noticed Damian standing only a few yards away. This gave the Daidarabotchi a chance to gag out loud, not really too fond of sharing the field with that certain monster (3300/2500 – 400/0).

"Big deal!" Joker chuckled rubbing his chin. "The only thing you've done is given me a few ideas for jokes…"

"… I guess you can really only play the fool," Hyde stated as a blue aura wrapped around his body. "Either you don't know about Jalal's effect, or you're too interested in cracking jokes to care, but by halving my life points, I can remove one normal or quick-play spell card or normal or counter trap from anyone's graveyard…"

"Fine! Search your graveyard!" Joker cackled with a large grin plastered over his face. "Its not like you'll be able to find something that'll help you in your graveyard or Damian's!"

"… You're part of the equation, dumb ass," Hyde sighed as a large orb of light appeared next to Jalal. "I remove from your graveyard – Stage Fright!" (HLP: 600)

Joker's eyes widened as the same stage appeared underneath his NecroDeath, several colored smoke bombs erupted around the gruesome demon, making it stagger around (0/0). "N-No!"

"I thought that'd happen," Hyde muttered snapping his fingers a few times. "I could've used the Mystical Space Typhoon in your graveyard, but, I didn't know if that tower of ugly protects Dark Sanctuary…

"But anyway, I think its time we clear the field of that ugly monster! Jalal! Do the honors!"

With a twist of his sword, Jalal leapt into the air, holding the blade over his head before he stabbed it right into the demonic NecroDeath's forehead, making the demon scream out in pain as it slowly began to fall backwards.

"I… I activate my trap card!" Joker staggered as a powerful barrier erupted around him. "D-Defense Draw lowers the damage to zero, and I can draw a new card!"

"However, your demon is slain!" Hyde announced as Jalal pulled back his sword, shattering the NecroDeath's body into millions of shards that flew through the air as Joker drew a card from his deck. "And that means, you're wide open."

"N-Not necessarily!" Joker growled. "T-There are two kinds of people in this world, those that know when they're beaten and those who fight till the death… And as you can see, I'm neither! I've still got two face down cards, my Dark Door and my Dark Sanctuary!"

'_And in my hand, I've got Monster Reincarnation… Next turn, I'll be able to get back NecroDeath and crush these two fools!'_

Hyde fitted a card into his duel disk, making a face down card appear behind Jalal and the large Yokai, "Damian… Finish this goon off."

"… Not going to be a problem," Damian replied as he drew, then quickly reached into his graveyard slot. "And since its my standby phase, I can summon Dark Nephthys from my graveyard!"

A powerful dark flame erupted from the ground, unleashing the dark armored version of the sacred phoenix card, this one screeching loudly as dark flames poured from its body (2400/1600 + 400/0). "And when summoned like this, I can blow away a spell or trap card… So, I'm getting rid of this field card of yours!"

The dark flames began to fly all over the field, all of them heading for the very castle that was behind Joker.

"Don't think that's happening!" Joker snapped as his face down cards lifted up. "I activate Alert! And that allows me to activate Field Barrier!"

The flames were suddenly contained in a large glass like orb that floated for a few seconds in mid-air before it disappeared, "So you're going to have to try again!"

"… No need," Damian replied crossing his arms. "One clear attack with my Nephthys, and you're out of here…"

"The same applies to you," Joker snickered. "You summoned that birdie during this standby phase… Meaning that there's a good chance that she's the one possessed… So you better think about this carefully…"

"Mind games aren't going to work on me Joker," Damian replied as he snapped his arm to the side. "I activate my trap card – Boosting Resurrection!"

The set card lifted up, allowing a familiar fiend type monster to appear on the field, ringing its tuning fork (1300/300 + 100/100). "So welcome back Dark Resonator… And thanks to my trap, he's slightly stronger… And has another level."

Chiming its tuning fork once more, the Dark resonator shattered into four dark rings that wrapped around the Dusk Commander, "I honestly have no idea what will happen here… But that's not going to stop me from tuning my two level four monsters together…"

A pillar of light erupted over the Dusk Commander, immediately disappearing to form into a rather familiar, armored man… The same man who stood on Hyde's field, drawing the same sword (2600/2400). "To Synchro summon Jalal the Dragonborn!"

A few seconds passed…

"I… I'm seeing double!" Joker yelped as he looked at the two Jalal Synchro monsters on both of the Shadowchasers' fields.

That itself seemed to gather the two Jalals' attentions, both of them looking at each other for a few seconds… Until they both smiled at each other and then turned back towards Joker, both of them with their eyes narrowed.

"… Uh oh, I'm in their sights," Joker muttered.

"And since I summoned him," Damian announced, pumping his fist up into the air. "I know for a fact that he isn't possessed!"

"Hehe, are you so sure?" Joker egged on as he crossed his arms with a large grin on his face. "Perhaps Dark Sanctuary has a few other effects I'm not telling you about and…"

"Can it, joke boy," Hyde growled, his eyes narrowed down on Joker. "Simple mind games aren't going to work here."

"He's right…" Damian stated throwing his hand forward. "Jalal! Attack Joker directly and end this farce!"

"N-Now wait a second!" Joker yelped as he threw his hands up.

Jalal immediately ran through the Dark Door and ran up in front of Joker, looming over the now small looking Mirror Golem, "Um… Knock, knock?"

The only thing that answered that joke, was a Jalal's sword that cleaved directly into Joker's shoulder, sending the Mirror Golem skidding backwards until he tripped over his own feet and fell backwards, "AAAAH! I'm having a nice trip… See ya next fall!" (JLP: 0)

And like that, the holograms began to disappear, along with the two Jalals and the bloody sky of Dark Sanctuary.

"Finally," Hyde grumbled as he produced a pair of gloves that were covered with a pair of weird white runes. "I was starting to get sick dealing with those eyes and mouths…"

"Uh, Hyde, right?" Damian questioned as he walked up to Hyde, who was fitting those weird gloves on his hands. "I gotta apologize for mistaking you for…"

"Don't sweat it kid," Hyde stated gesturing forward with his newly gloved hands. "Sides, we've got a little issue to deal with."

Damian blinked a few times, watching that Joker was leaping back to his feet, the runes on his body glowing bright purple, "There are two kinds of people in the world… Those who lose in the small game, and those who win in the war… You two may have beaten me in a game, but that's not going to stop me from beating the crap out of you two!"

"Seems like he's gotten serious," Hyde growled cracking his knuckles. "So, I think its only fair that we do the same… Right, Damian?"

"Fair is only fair," Damian answered with a shrug as Joker began to charge towards the two Shadowchasers.

Just as Joker was about to throw a punch at Hyde, the older Shadowchaser slammed his fist directly into Joker's face – And to both Joker's and Damian's surprises, Hyde's fist managed to send Joker staggering backwards, without a crack of bones or anything. "W-What the?"

Hyde merely leapt into the air, spun around and throw his fist directly into the 'J' at Joker's chest, sending him directly towards the ground with a loud crash, making Joker cough out.

"That… That was amazing," Damian muttered as Hyde slammed his foot into Joker's neck, making the Mirror Golem gag slightly. "How'd you do that without breaking a fist?"

"Iron Arms," Hyde answered holding his hands up to reveal the gloves he had slipped on. "A powerful item that allows a person to make their fists as strong as steel. And last time I checked steel is stronger than rock…"

"N-Not fair," Joker gagged. "Rock beats scissors!"

"… That was a stretch," Damian muttered with a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his head.

Hyde knelt down and reached into Joker's overcoat, pulling out the very purse that the Mirror Golem had stolen earlier, "Now then… Since I've gotten what I needed to from this prankster, I'm guessing you've got some questions for him."

Damian turned his head slightly.

"… What you want to talk about with him has nothing to do with me," Hyde replied keeping his foot on Joker's neck.

Damian nodded a little bit and kneeled down in front of the currently helpless Mirror Golem, his eyes narrowed as he forced him to stare at him. "I believe you said something about telling me what Vlad was going to do…"

Joker shook his head a little bit and chuckled. "Tell me Shadowchaser…what's the best way to hurt someone without actually hurting them?"

"So now we went from Jokes to Zen riddles," Hyde sighed a little bit as he applied pressure onto his neck, making Joker gag harder, "Start making sense all ready."

Joker growled a little bit at Hyde before he turned his attention to Damian. "The best way to hurt someone without physically harming them…is the heart. Hurt something close to it, and you hurt them in general…"

Damian growled a little. "What does that have to do with anything? What are you TALKING about?"

"You really are dense, kid!" Joker cackled. "Vlad wants to hurt Jalal… Hurt him good, but he's not going to go and challenge him up close and personal to kill him, oh no, he wants to hurt him as he's been hurt in the past…"

"Hurt in the past…?" Damian murmured, looking off to the side. "What does…?"

"So what better way to hurt someone than hurt those who are willing to stick their necks out for what he believes in?" Joker laughed a little. "I think you get what I'm coming from!"

Hyde frowned a little bit and grabbed his cigarette form his mouth, ashing it. "…He wants to… Hurt the Shadowchasers?"

"Not just hurt, either…He's gonna get his revenge….It's coming soon…" Joker hissed, "He wants to destroy them… And let's just say when his plan starts to kick in…" He grinned wide at the frowning Shadowchaser. "It's gonna be something the world is NEVER gonna forget!" He cackled long and didn't show signs of stopping.

Damian looked up at Hyde, his eye twitching but seriousness overcoming his face. "You mind?" He asked Hyde.

The chain-smoker nodded a little and reached down, punching the Mirror Golem upside the head. The Mirror Golem went silent before mumbling, "Look at the pretty birdies…" Before slumping over, unconscious.

The two Shadowchasers were silent for a moment or two.

"Kid," Hyde muttered reaching into his pocket again. "I don't know what's going on in your city… And honestly, I've got problems here that need dealin' with so I can't help ya…"

Damian produced the small blue jewel, and as soon as Hyde removed his foot, Damian's jewel glowed brightly and made the Mirror Golem perform a disappearing act. "That's alright, old man… This is something that I need to do…"

"Heh, I'm not that old," the nicotine addicted Shadowchaser chuckled producing a few cards. "Sides kid, just remember, you're not alone. I'm willing to bet that you've got a pretty good team, some good friends, and you've got a good head on your shoulders… And you've got the skills to get out of anything thrown your way."

Hyde tossed the two cards to Damian, making the dark Shadowchaser stumble to catch the pair. When he looked at the two cards, Damian began to think about the team that was still waiting for him in the City of Angels, about how he was wounded and they all cared for him…

"I'm not that young, you big bag of smoke," Damian replied pocketing the cards while he pulled out a pair of cards himself. "And I don't take charity, catch…"

With a flick of his wrist, Damian tossed the two cards to Hyde who looked at the cards for a few seconds, "Heh, you carry cards like this on you all the time?"

"I could ask you the same question," Damian replied holding out his hand. "… Next time we meet old man, we're finishing that duel."

"Next time you're in Sin City," Hyde replied grasping Damian's hand into a tight handshake. "Look me up kid… I'll be glad to duel circles around you."

"Yeah, you keep thinking that," Damian snickered turning around as he released Hyde's hand. "By the way, you may want to cut down on the cigarettes…"

"Over my dead body," Hyde growled turning away.

_And just like that, the roads that crossed, began to divide once more… What will happen to these two on their journeys into the unknown?_

_Only time will tell…_

_TBC _

**0-0-0-0-0**

**Card Stats**

**Aetonix Flame / Normal Spell / Effect:** Destroy all non-FIRE and non-Fiend-type monsters that your opponent controls and Special Summon 1 FIRE-attribute or Fiend-Type monster from your graveyard. You cannot conduct your battle phase this turn.

**Image:** A powerful flame erupting from a demon's chest.

_This card was used by Amelda in the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime._

**Dark Sanctuary / Field Spell / Effect:** During either player's turn, when a "Dark Necrofear" is sent to your Graveyard, you can either activate this card from your hand or reapply this face-up card's effects. During each of your End Phases, Tribute 1 monster or destroy this card. While you do not have a "Dark Necrofear" in your Graveyard, negate the following effects:

● Once per turn, during your opponent's Standby Phase, your opponent must select 1 random monster they control. (If that monster is destroyed, you cannot use this effect again.) If your opponent declares an attack with that monster, negate the attack. Then, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half that monster's ATK, and gain an equal amount of Life Points.

● Your Monster Card Zones are also treated as Spell & Trap Card Zones. If your opponent declares an attack while you control no monsters, you must reveal any face-down Spell or Trap Cards in your Monster Card Zones, after damage calculation.

**Image:** A dark castle under a purple and red sky, with several eyes looking down at the ground in said sky.

_This card was used by Bakura in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime._

**Dark Mist / Continuous Trap / Effect:** Activate only when a monster declares an attack. During this turn, you can send a number of DARK monsters whose level is the same as the Level of the attacking monster from your Deck to the Graveyard to negate the attack.

**Image:** A dark mist of swirling energy

_This card was used in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX manga._

**Crow Tengu / Wind / LV. 4 / ATK: 1400 / DEF: 1200 / Zombie/Effect:** When this card is special summoned from your graveyard, destroy one of your opponent's monsters.

**Description:** A black feathered crow demon in black Japanese robes

**Haunted Shrine / Normal Trap / Effect:** Activate only when you control no monsters on your side of the field. Special summon 1 Zombie-Type monster from your Graveyard.

**Image:** Several spirits erupting from a Japanese shrine

**Gozuki / Earth / LV 4 / ATK: 1700 / DEF: 800 / Zombie/Effect:** Once per turn, you can send one 'Zombie' monster from your deck to the graveyard

**Description:** A large bull headed demon dressed in flowing Japanese clothing with a large mallet clutched in its hands.

**Onmoraki / Fire / LV. 4 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1000 / Zombie/Effect:** If this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, draw 1 card.

**Description: **Crane with a large flame popping on the top of its head.

**Daidarabotchi / Dark / LV 9 / ATK: 2900 / DEF: 2500 / Zombie / Effect**: This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card gains 200 ATK for each ZOMBIE-Monster on the field.

_This card was used by Daichi in the Yugioh GX manga._

**Karakasa / Wind / LV. 3 / ATK: 800 / DEF: 0 / Zombie/Effect:** When this card is destroyed as a result of battle, you may special summon as many 'Karakasa' cards from your hand or deck in face down defense position.

**Description: **A goofy red umbrella with a single eye and a stuck-out tongue for its face.

**Yuki-Onna / Water / LV. 2 / ATK: 1000 / DEF: 0 / Zombie/Tuner:** When this card is special summoned from your graveyard, you may special summon one level four or lower Zombie monster from your graveyard (Other than Yuki-Onna). A monster special summoned with this effect cannot be tributed or declare an attack. During the end phase this effect was activated, destroy the monster that was special summoned with this effect.

**Description:** A beautiful blue haired woman dressed in a white kimono with blue trim on it.

**Gyūki / Earth / LV. 5 / ATK: 2200 / DEF: 400 / Zombie/Effect:** While this card is in your graveyard, you may sacrifice one face up Zombie-Type monster on your side of the field to special summon this card from the graveyard. When this card is summoned this way, this card gains the following effect:

-) When this card destroys a monster as a result of battle, inflict 600 points of damage to your opponent's life points. When this card is destroyed, remove this card from play.

**Description:** A large beastly ox demon dressed with black beads and white toga with black fur covering its body.

**Kamaitachi / Wind / LV. 3 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 800 / Zombie/Tuner:** If this card is used in a Synchro summon for a Zombie-type Synchro monster, that monster may attack your opponent's life points directly during the turn it was Synchro summoned (any battle damage is cut in half).

**Description:** A large sickle wielding weasel with a bell around its neck.

**Inugami / Earth / LV. 6 / ATK: 2600 / DEF: 1250 / Zombie/Synchro/Effect:** [1 Tuner Monster + 1 or more Non-Tuner Zombie monster(s)] Once per turn, you may activate one of the following effects:

Remove one Zombie type monster from your graveyard. You may destroy one face up monster card.

Return two Zombie-type monsters from your removed from play pile to your deck. Return all spells and trap cards to their owner's hand.

**Description:** A large ghostly silver furred dog with a large scarf around it's neck with the kanji for loyalty on it, while on the beast's back is a large sheathed katana

**Tanuki Spirit / Earth / LV. 2 / ATK: 500 / DEF: 400 / Zombie/Union:** Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field you can equip it to one Zombie-Type monster as an Equip Spell card, OR change it back to a monster in face-up Attack position. When equipped to a monster by this card's effect, that monster gains 500 ATK and DEF. When the equipped monster destroys a monster in battle, your opponent must discard one card from the top of their deck or from their hand. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, this card is destroyed instead.)

**Description: **A large raccoon dog with a collar around its neck with a trio of golden bells attached to the collar.

_The preceeding cards were used in Shadowchasers: Risen Nemesis and made by Lux-Nero_

**Dusk Commander / Dark / LV. 4 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1900 / Warrior/Effect:** While there is another DARK monster on your side of the field, this card cannot be targeted for an attack. Increase the ATK of all DARK monsters on your side of the field by 400 points.

**Description:** An evil version of Command knight, with black and red armor with long black hair protruding from her helmet.

**Dark Baboon / Dark / LV. 7 / ATK: 2600 / DEF: 1800 / Beast/Effect:** When a DARK monster is destroyed by a card effect, you may remove one DARK monster from your graveyard in order to special summon this card from your hand or graveyard.

**Description:** A black furred Green Baboon

**Dark Safeguard / Dark / LV 5 / ATK: 300 / DEF: 2400 / Warrior / Effect**: 1 Dark-Tuner type monster + 1 or more Non-Tuner monsters. As long as this card is on the field, your opponent cannot select another monster as an attack target. When this card is Selected as an Attack Target, you may offer one Dark-Type monster to increase this cards DEF by the tribute monsters DEF.

**Yomi's Guidance / Spell / Effect**: During this turn, all face up cards on the field are treated as ZOMBIE-Type monsters.

Image: A large, dark underworld like region with several hideous demons wandering around.

_The above 4 cards were made by MichaelDj54_

**Stage Fright / Trap / Effect:** When this card is activated, remove one effect monster from your graveyard from play. During the turn this card was activated, negate the effect of all face up monsters on your opponent's field.

**Image:** Four colorfully armored warriors standing on an overly lit stage

_This card was created by Lux-Nero_

**Dance of Uzume / Trap / Effect:** Activate when a Zombie-Type monster you control is destroyed and sent to the graveyard. Special Summon one Zombie-Type monster in your graveyard in attack mode.  
Image: Uzume dancing on an overturned tub in the moonlight.

_This card was created by MetalOverlord 2.0._

**Golden Shakujo / Equip Spell / Effect:** This card can only be equipped to a Zombie-Type monster. The equipped monster gains 300 points. Once per turn, when the equipped monster successfully destroys a monster as a result of battle, the equipped monster may attack once more (if this effect is used, destroy this card during the end phase).

**Image:** A skeleton dressed in Japanese priest clothes clutching onto a glowing golden Shakujo

**Onryu Vengeance / Normal Spell / Effect:** Discard one Zombie-Type monster from your hand. Special summon one level three or lower Zombie-type monster from your deck. A monster special summoned with this effect cannot attack, cannot activate its effect, and cannot be tributed.

**Image:** A deathly paled young woman dressed in white clothing with long, black, unruly hair – the woman seducing a young samurai

**Necro Linker / Dark/LV 2/ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / Fiend/Effect: **You can Tribute this monster to Special Summon one Tuner-Type monster from your graveyard. You cannot Synchro Summon this turn.

Image: A cloaked skeletal like being with a can in its right hand.

_This card was used by Yusei in the Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds._

**Kappa / Water / LV. 1 / ATK: 100 / DEF: 100 / Zombie/Tuner:**

**Description:** You can Special Summon this card from your graveyard when you Special Summon a Zombie-Type monster. When this card is removed from the field, remove this card from play.

**NecroDeath / Dark / LV 10 / ATK: ? / DEF: 0 / Fiend / Effect:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play one Fiend-Type monster you control. This card's ATK is the combined ATK of all of your Removed From Play FIEND-Type monsters. As long as this card is on the field, your cards cannot be removed from play. During each of your Standby Phases, send one of the following cards: "Destiny Board", "Spirit Message – I", "Spirit Message – N", "Spirit Message – A", and "Spirit Message – L" from your deck to the graveyard. When the above five cards are in your graveyard by this monsters effect, you win the duel.

**JALAL THE DRAGONBORN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 2,400

**Card Description:** _Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

This card cannot be Special Summoned except via Synchro Summon. Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can pay half your Life Points to remove from play 1 Normal or Quickplay Spell or 1 Normal or Counter Trap from either Graveyard to place 1 Rune Counter on this card (max. 1). At any time during your or your opponent's turn, you may remove a Rune Counter on this card to duplicate the effect of the card that was removed from play as this card's effect.

_This card was created by Cyber Commander and can only be used with his permission for Shadowchaser Stories._


End file.
